Home | > | List of families | > | Fabaceae subfamily Papilionoideae | > | Alysicarpus | > | glumaceus |
Synonyms: |
Alysicarpus hochstetteri A. Rich. Alysicarpus violaceus (Forssk.) Schindl. Hedysarum glumaceum Vahl Hedysarum violaceum Forssk. |
Common names: | |
Frequency: | |
Status: | Native |
Description: |
Erect or procumbent annual herb, often somewhat woody at the base, 0.15–1.5 m tall. Stems pubescent mostly in narrow longitudinal lines. Leaves 1-foliolate oblong, oblong-lanceolate or linear-lanceolate, 0.65–12.5 cm long, finely velvety and with longer hairs on lower surface; petiole 2–7 mm long; stipules lanceolate, 4–16 mm long. Inflorescences terminal and leaf-opposed 3–30 cm long; pedicels mostly 2–5 mm long. Calyx pubescent; with lobes lanceolate or narrowly triangular, 4–6 mm long, not or only slightly overlapping at the base, pubescent and ciliate with white hairs or hairless. Standard salmon-coloured, red or mauve, obovate, 5–6 mm long; wings and keel often pale, but purple on the margins. Fruit 7–15 mm long, much constricted between the articles; articles 4–7, transversely elliptic, with strong close transverse ridges which join up here and there, up to 3 mm long and wide, shortly pubescent. |
Notes: | Two varieties within subsp. glumaceus have been described but only var. intermedius Verdc. is known from Malawi. This variety is recognised by somewhat broader calyx lobes, 5.5-7.5 mm long and up to 2.5 mm wide , which somewhat overlap at the base. The fruit is only slightly exserted from the calyx at best. |
Derivation of specific name: | |
Habitat: | In grassland, wooded grassland or woodland, often on black cotton soils in swampy grasslands or on floodplains and sometimes as a weed in maize fields. |
Altitude range: | Up to 540 m |
Flowering time: | |
Worldwide distribution: | Widespread from Arabia, throughout Africa to KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. |
Malawi distribution: | N,S |
Growth form(s): | |
Endemic status: | |
Red data list status: | |
Insects associated with this species: | |
Spot characters: | Display spot characters for this species |
Content last updated: | Wednesday 8 November 2017 |
Literature: |
Da Silva, M.C., Izidine, S. & Amude, A.B. (2004). A preliminary checklist of the vascular plants of Mozambique. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 30 Sabonet, Pretoria Page 65. as Alysicarpus glumaceus subsp. rugosus? Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 46. Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 61. Verdcourt, B. (2000). Papilionoideae Flora Zambesiaca 3(6) Pages 37 - 43. (Includes a picture). |
Home | > | List of families | > | Fabaceae subfamily Papilionoideae | > | Alysicarpus | > | glumaceus |