3914.000 Psophocarpus Necker ex DC.

Mackinder, B. et al. (2001) Papilionoideae Flora Zambesiaca 3(5)

Description of the genus

Climbers (in ours). Stipules present with an appendage. Leaves pinnately 3-foliolate; stipels present. Inflorescence an axillary pseudoraceme or umbel; bracts and bracteoles present, the bracteoles large. Corolla usually blue to mauve, rarely yellow. Stamens 10; 9 with fused filaments; 1 free or connate in the middle. Pod 4-winged, septate, dehiscent. Seeds (in ours) with an aril.

Derivation of name: from psophos (Gr): noise & carpus (L): fruit, referring to the sound made by the ripe pod when it springs open.

Worldwide: c. 10 species in the Old World tropics

Malawi: 2 taxa.

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Links to taxa:     View: living plant images - herbarium specimen images - all images for this genus

SpeciesFZ divisionsContent
lancifolius HarmsN,C,SDescription
scandens (Endl.) Verdc.N,C,SDescription, Image

Other sources of information about Psophocarpus:

Our websites:

Flora of Caprivi: cultivated Psophocarpus
Flora of Mozambique: Psophocarpus
Flora of Zambia: Psophocarpus
Flora of Zimbabwe: Psophocarpus

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Psophocarpus
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Psophocarpus
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Psophocarpus
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Psophocarpus
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Psophocarpus
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Psophocarpus
JSTOR Plant Science: Psophocarpus
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Psophocarpus
Plants of the World Online: Psophocarpus
Tropicos: Psophocarpus
Wikipedia: Psophocarpus

Copyright: Mark Hyde, Bart Wursten, Petra Ballings and Meg Coates Palgrave, 2014-24

Hyde, M.A., Wursten, B.T., Ballings, P. & Coates Palgrave, M. (2024). Flora of Malawi: Genus page: Psophocarpus.
https://www.malawiflora.com/speciesdata/genus.php?genus_id=785, retrieved 29 March 2024

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