Indigofera ramosissima J.B.Gillett

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

Habit

Erect bushy herb 30–40 cm. tall, with numerous stiffly spreading branches; stems densely covered with erect multicellular hairs up to 2 mm. long, the white biramous hairs sparser.

Leaves

Leaves 3–7(occasionally –9)-foliolate, with multicellular hairs on the rhachis and usually on the margins and under-surface of the leaflets as well; stipules sublinear, green, persistent, spreading, 2–6 mm. long; rhachis up to 1 cm. long including a petiole of 2–5 mm., not prolonged beyond the lateral leaflets except in 3-foliolate leaves; leaflets elliptic, narrowly elliptic or oblanceolate, apiculate, up to 8 mm. long and 3.5 mm. wide, with appressed white biramous hairs on both surfaces, those above thinner and sparser than those beneath.

Inflorescences

Racemes crowded towards the ends of the branches, 3–12-flowered, 1.5–3 cm. long, including a peduncle of 2–7 mm., everywhere covered with short erect glandular hairs; bracts lanceolate, 1–3 mm. long, rather persistent; pedicels 0.5–1.5 mm. long.

Calyx

Calyx with both white biramous hairs and short erect glandular hairs, the tube 1 mm., the lobes 4 mm. long.

Corolla

Corolla white pubescent outside and also having some glandular hairs on the middle of the standard and of the keel; standard elliptical, apiculate, 6–8 mm. long.

Stamens

Filaments 6 mm. long; anthers 0.8 mm. including the 0.2 mm. apiculum.

Pistil

Ovary 5–6-ovulate, 3 mm. long; style 4 mm. long, bent through 90° near its centre.

Fruits

Pod more or less erect, straight, 9–11 mm. long, 2 mm. wide, densely covered with erect glandular hairs 0.4–0.6 mm. long.

Habitat

Upland grassland; 1500–2100 m.; rainfall 800–1000 mm.

Distribution

T4 not known elsewhere