Cullen tomentosum (Thunb.) J.W.Grimes

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

Morphology General Habit

Herb up to 60 cm tall, often mat- or cushion-forming, white strigose or grey hairy but eventually ± glabrous; branches many, pale, up to 75 cm long (up to 9 m fide Forbes), widely spreading prostrate to ascending from a much branched rootstock.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves pinnately 3-foliolate; leaflets 3–30× 2–20 mm, obovate or elliptic, obtuse at the apex, plicate, with margin slightly dentate to lobulate-crenate, glandular, thinly grey pubescent; petioles 0.5–7 cm long; stipules 2.5–3.5 × 1.25–2 mm, triangular to ovate, ciliate and grey pubescent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences spicate or subcapitate with 3–8 flowers; peduncle 5–28 mm long; rhachis 3–27 mm long with 1–6 nodes; pedicels very short.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx tube 1.5–3 mm long; lobes unequal, lanceolate to ovate, ciliate, hairy outside, pilose inside, the upper 1–2 × 0.5–1 mm, the lowest, 2–3 × 1–1.5 mm.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla white and blue or pink; standard 3–5(7) × 3–4.5 mm with claw 1–2 mm long, ± obovate; wings 3–4.5 × 1–2 mm, with a linear claw 1.5–4 mm long; keel 2–3 × 1.5 mm with linear claw 2–2.5 mm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit 3.8–5 × 2.5–3 × 1.75–2.5 mm, oblong-reniform, densely white hairy and glandular.