Grona ramosissima (G.Don) H.Ohashi & K.Ohashi

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

Morphology General Habit

Erect slender perennial herb or subshrub 0.3–2 m tall.

Morphology Stem

Stems several from a woody base, with a short pubescence and also longer white hairs, or densely appressed strigose.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves 3-foliolate; leaflets 0.7–4.8 × 0.6–2 cm, narrowly obovate, oblong-elliptic or oblong, rounded at the apex, rounded to cuneate at the base, glabrous above, appressed pilose beneath, reticulate on both surfaces; petiole 8–15 mm long; rhachis 2–7 mm long; petiolules 0.5–1 mm long; stipules 4–15 × 0.5–1.5 mm, obliquely lanceolate, pilose, persistent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences terminal and axillary, 4.5–20 cm long, with indumentum similar to the stems; peduncle 0–8 cm long; pedicels 2–7 mm long, puberulous; primary bracts each supporting 2(3) pedicels, 4–6 × 1–2.5 mm, ovate-lanceolate, long attenuate, pilose; secondary bracts absent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx puberulous and with some longer hairs; tube 1 mm long; lobes 1.5 mm long, triangular.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Standard mauve, red or rose-coloured, 4.2 × 3 mm, obovate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruits 7–25 mm long, of 3–5 articles, each article 3.5–5 × 2–3.5 mm, uncinulate-pubescent, reticulately veined, joined by narrow necks 1–1.5 mm wide.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds chestnut-brown, 2.5–3 × 1.5–2 × 0.7–1 mm, reniform; hilum small, practically central.

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

Morphology General Habit

Low perennial herb to branching shrub from 1 dm. to 1.5 m. high; stem terete to angular, light brown to reddish, striate to grooved, moderately to abundantly strigose with (rarely spreading and/or with only) upwardly directed appressed hairs.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves 3-foliolate, the leaflets appearing to be somewhat sensitive; stipules obliquely lanceolate-attenuate, (4–)5–11 mm. long, 1–2 mm. wide, usually densely strigose at the very base and slightly lobed on one side, otherwise glabrous to puberulent, ciliate; petiole abundantly strigose (as is stem), 6–15 mm. long; rhachis similar, 1–5 mm. long; terminal leaflet narrowly obovate, obtuse to rounded at apex and apiculate, cuneate at base, 1–4.8 cm. long, 0.4–1.2 cm. wide, lateral leaflets similar, more nearly elliptic, 1–2.2 cm. long, 0.5–0.9 cm. wide, all glabrous to glabrescent or moderately appressed pilose above, abundantly appressed pilose beneath and with venation prominently reticulate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence of lax to rather stiff terminal racemes; rhachides tawny, or brown to red or black, terete to angular, and rather densely upwardly appressed strigose; primary bracts each subtending 2 (rarely 3) pedicels, ovate-attenuate, 3.5–6 mm. long, 1.5–2.5 mm. wide, puberulent and with scattered long tapering hairs, not long persistent; pedicels ascending, black, uncinulate-puberulent and usually densely upwardly strigose (as rhachis), 4–10 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers pink to mostly reddish or purple (or crimson or purple and whitish).

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx green to purple, puberulent throughout and often long-pilose on the teeth of both lobes, (2–)2.5–3 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Standard obovate, retuse at apex, narrowed to an acutish base, 3.5–5 mm. long, 2–4.5 mm. wide; wings ± oblong, slightly narrowed to an obtuse apex, remotely auricled and shortly clawed at base, 2.5–4.5 mm. long, 1.3–2 mm. wide; keel-petals scythe-shaped, long-clawed, equalling standard in length, 1–1.5 mm. wide.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruits sessile to shortly stipitate, the articles rather prominently reticulate, uncinulate-puberulent and -pubescent throughout, the upper suture somewhat angled above the isthmi, slightly indented above each seed, rounded below and indented at the isthmi, 3–5 mm. long, 2.5–3.5 mm. wide.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seed ± oblong, 2.5–3 mm. long, 1.5–2 mm. wide.

Figures

Fig. 65/12, p. 453.

Habitat

Grassland or dry sandy open areas; sea-level to 1700 m.

Distribution

K7 P T1 T6 U2 U3 U4 Z tropical Africa

International Legume Database and Information Service

Conservation

Not Threatened

Ecology

Africa: Zambezian grassland, Sudanian grasslands, Lake Victoria regional transition zone; grasslands, Somalia-Masai grasslands

Morphology General Habit

Perennial, Not climbing, Herb/Shrub

Vernacular

Mandolodiaraikitsa, Petit Treff, Petite Reglisse, Silavounerivoutch, Tsilavondrivotra