Grona cordifolia (Harms) H.Ohashi & K.Ohashi

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

Morphology General Habit

Perennial herb with a tuberous rootstock.

Morphology Stem

Stems prostrate or ± ascending, 0.4–1 m long, somewhat angular, covered with spreading bristly hairs.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves 1-foliolate; leaflet 0.6–6 × 0.6–5.2 cm, ovate-oblong or rounded-oblong to almost round, subacute, broadly rounded or even emarginate at the apex, shallowly to distinctly cordate at the base, with extremely short hairs on upper surface but much longer ones beneath; petiole 2–37 mm long; petiolule 1–2.5 mm long; stipules 7–12 × 1–2 mm, obliquely lanceolate, attenuate, strongly veined, pilose.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences very lax, with fascicles of flowers 2–5 cm apart, 2–18 cm long, finely puberulous and with long spreading ferruginous hairs; peduncle 1–4 cm long, similarly hairy; pedicels 5–13 mm long, puberulous and with a few long hairs; primary bracts each subtending 2–3 pedicels, 2.8–5 × 0.8–1.3 mm, nervose and sparsely pilose; secondary bracts lanceolate, very small, all persistent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx pubescent with bristly hairs; tube 1 mm long; lobes 2 mm long, narrowly triangular-lanceolate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Standard purple or blue, 5.5 × 6.5 mm, very broadly obovate, emarginate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit 8–14 mm long, of (3)5–6 articles, each article 2–2.3 mm long and wide, round, uncinulate-pubescent or glabrescent, joined by narrow necks 0.5 mm wide.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds reddish-brown, 2 × 1.5 mm, ± oblong.

International Legume Database and Information Service

Conservation

Not Threatened

Ecology

Africa: Zambezian woodland, Zambezian grassland

Morphology General Habit

Perennial, Not climbing, Herb

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

Morphology General Habit

Creeping to ascending perennial herb with tuberous roots and slender reddish brown shoots to ± 1 m. long; stems angular to cylindric and appressed to spreading hirsute with stout stiff tapering hairs.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves 1-foliolate; stipules obliquely lanceolate-attenuate, 4–11 mm. long, 0.5–2 mm. wide, strongly striate, sparsely puberulent to glabrescent, long-ciliate, persistent; petioles minutely uncinulate-puberulent throughout and abundantly appressed hirsute with pubescence similar to that of stem, 0.75–3.5 cm. long; lamina ovate or ovate-oblong to almost orbicular, acute to obtuse to completely rounded at apex, at least slightly cordate at base, 1–6 cm. long, 1–5 cm. wide, minutely uncinulate-puberulent on both surfaces, abundantly appressed hirsute on midrib and chief lateral veins and moderately so on surface beneath.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences axillary and terminal, racemose-paniculate, lax and diffuse; rhachis minutely and moderately uncinulate-puberulent, rather densely appressed hirsute (with hairs similar to those of stem); primary bracts, each subtending a fascicle of 3 pedicels, lanceolate-attenuate, similar to stipules in texture and pubescence, 2.8–6 mm. long, 0.8–1.3 mm. wide; secondary bracts similar, lanceolate, 1–1.7 mm. long, 0.5–1.5 mm. wide; all rather long persistent; pedicels minutely uncinulate-puberulent and moderately stiff hirsute, ± 2–5 mm. long in flower, to 8 mm. long in fruit.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers blue to bright mauve or mauve and white.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx pale green to reddish (above), the teeth of lobes sometimes with colourless margins, minutely uncinulate-puberulent and abundantly hirsute with stout hairs throughout; teeth of lower lobe 2.5–3.5 mm. long, upper bifid lobe equalling them or slightly shorter.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Standard obovate or almost oblong (broader than high), refuse, scarcely if at all clawed, 4–4.5 mm. long, 4–6 mm. wide; wings remotely oblong, obtuse at apex, slightly auricled, shortly clawed, 3.5– 4.5 mm. long, 1.6–2 mm. wide; keel-petals almost scythe-shaped, ± long-clawed, 4.5–5 mm. long, 1.5–1.8 mm. wide.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit sessile to shortly stipitate (stipe to 1.5 mm. long), 3–6-articled, upper suture slightly curved, somewhat indented at the isthmi, lower suture curved, deeply indented at the isthmi; articles minutely uncinulate-puberulent and sparsely hirsute on surfaces and sutures, or becoming glabrescent, 1.5–2 mm. long and wide.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seed ± oblong, reddish brown, 2 mm. long, 1.5 mm. wide.

Habitat

Brachystegia, Julbernardia woodland, grassland, roadsides; 930–1680 m.

Distribution

T4 T7 T8