Grona hirta (Guill. & Perr.) H.Ohashi & K.Ohashi

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

Morphology General Habit

Prostrate to erect herb or subshrub; stem slender, 0.5–2 m. long, distinctly and laxly spreading pilose.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves 3-foliolate; stipules obliquely ovate-attenuate, 4–7 mm. long, 1.5–2 mm. wide, glabrous to scattered pilose; petiole spreading pilose, ± 1 cm. long; leaf-rhachis similar, one-third as long; leaflets obovate, truncate to retuse at apex, cuneate to rounded at base, glabrous to moderately pilose above, abundantly pilose beneath, the terminal 1.2–2.7 cm. long, 1.2–1.7 cm. wide, the laterals similar or more nearly elliptic, somewhat smaller.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences composed of lax axillary and terminal racemes; rhachides uncinulate-puberulent and moderately to densely spreading or appressed pilose; primary bracts present, ovate-attenuate, pilose with scattered hairs to almost glabrous, long-ciliate, 3.5–4.5 mm. long, 1.5–2 mm. wide; pedicels in pairs, usually ascending, slender, puberulent, 6–12.5 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers pale pink to deep rose or purple.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx 2-lipped, puberulent throughout, the teeth of both lobes long-pilose; lower lobe (including teeth) to 3 mm. long; upper bifid lobe 2.5 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla slightly exceeding calyx; standard obovate, obtuse at apex, narrowed to base, ± 4 mm. long; wings ± hatchet-shaped, shortly clawed, 3 mm. long, 1.5 mm. wide; keel-petals obtusely deltoid, longer clawed, 4 mm. long, 1 mm. wide.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit sessile to shortly stipitate (1 mm.), 2–6-articled, the upper suture essentially straight, the lower slightly curved and indented at the isthmi; articles ± quadrate, partially separating from each other, then dehiscing along the lower suture, ± 3 mm. long and wide, glabrous to abundantly puberulent throughout.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seed obtusely oblong, 2.5 mm. long, 1.5 mm. wide, pale.

International Legume Database and Information Service

Conservation

Not Threatened

Ecology

Africa: Zambezian grassland, Sudanian grasslands

Morphology General Habit

Annual/Perennial, Not climbing, Herb

Vernacular

Ampelatsifotra, Felantsifotra, Mandaloderekitra, Vahimpatsiko

Papilionaceae, Hutchinson and Dalziel. Flora of West Tropical Africa 1:2. 1958

Morphology General Habit

A more or less prostrate herb

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Small pink flowers.

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

Morphology General Habit

Erect or prostrate, annual or perennial herb or subshrubby herb, 0.1–2 m tall or long.

Morphology Stem

Stems striate, distinctly or sparsely covered with long spreading bristly mostly pale ferruginous hairs 1.5–2 mm long.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves 1–3-foliolate; leaflets 0.8–4 × 0.5–2.2 cm, elliptic-oblong or the terminal ones often distinctly obovate or round, truncate or slightly emarginate at the apex, rounded to cuneate at the base, appressed pilose on both surfaces or practically glabrous; petiole 1–2 cm long; rhachis 3–7 mm long; petiolules 0.5–1.5 mm long, densely bristly; stipules 5–7 × 1.5–2 mm, ovate-lanceolate, striate, glabrous except for long spreading marginal cilia.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences terminal and axillary, lax, 2–8 cm long, hairy like the stems; peduncle 0.5–5 cm long; pedicels 9–13 mm long, finely puberulous; primary bracts each subtending 2 pedicels, 3.5–4.5 × 1.5 mm, ovate-lanceolate, pilose; secondary bracts absent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx bristly pilose; tube 0.5 mm long; lobes 2 mm long, narrowly triangular.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Standard pink or orange or yellow and crimson, 3.5 × 3 mm, obovate, emarginate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruits 10–18 mm long, of 3–6 articles but actually dehiscing as a whole and the articles not or scarcely separating although they are clearly evident, each article 2.5–3 mm long and wide, oblong with a straight edge and a very rounded edge, glabrous or uncinulate-puberulous, joined by necks 2 mm wide, reticulately veined.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds reddish-brown or yellowish mostly speckled with black, 1.5–2 × 1.2–1.5 × 0.5–0.8 mm, reniform; the small hilum almost central.