Grona appressipila (B.G.Schub.) H.Ohashi & K.Ohashi

Leguminosae, J. B. Gillett, R. M. Polhill & B. Verdcourt. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1971

Morphology General Habit

Semi-prostrate to suberect herb with slender stem 3–4dm. long and spreading branches densely appressed pilose with upwardly directed white hairs.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves usually 1-foliolate; stipules obliquely deltoid-attenuate, 6–8 mm. long, 1–2 mm. wide, pilose; petiole 0.5–1.5 cm. long; leaflets elliptic, 1.5–4.5 cm. long, 0.7–1.7 cm. wide, apiculate, minutely retuse at base and apex, sparsely appressed pilose above, densely so beneath.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences usually terminal, racemose-paniculate; rhachides uncinulate-pubescent and -puberulent with golden hairs; primary bracts deciduous; secondary bracts absent; pedicels in pairs, almost horizontal at maturity, 9–11 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers cream to mauve.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx 2-lipped; teeth of both lobes slenderly deltoid and long-pilose with white and golden hairs.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Standard obovate or ± flabelliform, minutely retuse at apex, becoming gradually narrower from the mid-point to the base, 3–6 mm. long, 2.5–4.5 mm. wide; wings ± obliquely oblong, slightly auricled, shortly clawed, 3.5–5 mm. long, 1.5–2 mm. wide; keel-petals oblong or remotely deltoid, obtuse at apex, long-clawed, 4–6 mm. long, 1–2 mm. wide.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit sessile, up to 6-articled, the style usually persistent, upper suture essentially straight, the lower curved and indented between the articles, uncinulate-puberulent and -pubescent throughout; articles ± quadrate, partially separating from each other, later dehiscing along the lower suture, 3–4 mm. long, 3 mm. broad.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seed 2.5 mm. long, 2 mm. wide.

Habitat

Deciduous woodland and upland grassland; 1200–2100 m.

Distribution

T4 T7 N. Zambia

International Legume Database and Information Service

Conservation

Not Threatened

Ecology

Africa: Zambezian woodland, Zambezian grassland, Afromontane grassland

Morphology General Habit

Perennial, Not climbing, Herb

Leguminosae, B. Verdcourt. Flora Zambesiaca 3:6. 2000

Morphology General Habit

Low spreading or trailing perennial herb 20–40 cm long, branched at the base.

Morphology Stem

Stems slender, appressed pubescent with upwardly directed silvery-white hairs and also uncinulate-puberulous.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves 1-foliolate (or rarely 3-foliolate); leaflet 1–4.5 × 0.6–1.7 cm, oblong-elliptic or elliptic, rounded or even slightly emarginate and shortly mucronulate, rounded to subcordate at the base, glabrous or very minutely puberulous above, densely appressed silvery pilose beneath; venation raised beneath; petioles 5–13 mm long; rhachis when present 2.5 mm long; petiolules 1–1.5 mm long; stipules 4–8 × 1–2 mm, obliquely narrowly triangular-lanceolate, persistent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences terminal, 4–12 cm long, uncinulate-pubescent; peduncles 2–4 cm long; pedicels 4–11 mm long; primary bracts 3.5–5 × 1.5–2.5 mm, ovate-elliptic, each supporting 2 pedicels, dense and overlapping in young inflorescences, acuminate, ciliate with silvery or ferruginous hairs, soon deciduous; secondary bracts absent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx tube 1 mm long, ± glabrous; lobes 2.5–5 mm long, lanceolate, pilose with silvery or ferruginous hairs, the upper pair joined for less than one-quarter of their length.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Standard pale blue, pale pink or white, 3–6 × 2.5–4.5 mm, obovate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruits 8–20 mm long, of (1)2–6 articles, each article 3–4 × 3 mm, oblong with a ± straight upper margin and a rounded lower margin, puberulous with short and long hairs, reticulate, separated by rather wide necks, 2–2.5 mm wide.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds yellow-brown, 2–2.5 × 1.5–2 × 0.5 mm, oblong-reniform; hilum small, somewhat eccentric.