Chamaecrista kirkii (Oliv.) Standl.

Leguminosae, R.K. Brummitt, A.C. Chikuni, J.M. Lock and R.M. Polhill. Flora Zambesiaca 3:2. 2007

Morphology General Habit

Annual erect herb, sometimes becoming woody at the base.

Morphology Stem

Stems terete with slight pale ridges decurrent from the stipule bases, with both short curved appressed and longer spreading hairs.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves paripinnate, 8.5–12 × 2–2 cm; stipules 8.5–12 × 1.2–2.1 mm, narrowly triangular, apex long-acuminate, base truncate, asymmetric, surfaces sparsely hairy, margins ciliate; petiolar gland single, dark, 0.9–1.5 × 0.5–0.9 mm, elliptic, sessile, saucer-shaped; rachis channelled, pilose; leaflets in 24–38 pairs, 8–19 × 1.8–4.5 mm, narrowly ovate-oblong, asymmetrical, base asymmetrically truncate, apex acuminate-mucronate, margins ciliate, cilia ascending, surfaces glabrous to pubescent; midrib 0.8 mm from distal margin, 1–2 lateral nerves from base on proximal side of midrib, 4–5 on distal side.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences supra-axillary, usually 4-flowered; peduncle up to 1 cm long, bracteate; pedicels 1.5–2.5 cm long in flower, slightly longer in fruit.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers large; sepals narrowly ovate, spreading-pubescent outside; petals yellow, 10–14 × 6–11 mm.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens 10.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil

Ovary densely appressed-pilose; style sparsely pilose; stigma terminal, fringed with hairs.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pods 8–9 × 0.5–0.6 cm, sparsely appressed-pubescent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds yellow-brown, c.3 × 2 mm, rhombic-quadrate in outline, flattened, lightly pitted.

International Legume Database and Information Service

Conservation

Not Threatened

Ecology

Africa: Lake Victoria regional transition zone; grasslands, Guineo-Congolian grasslands, Zambezian grassland, Sudanian grasslands

Morphology General Habit

Annual, Not climbing, Herb

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation

Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident

Caesalpiniaceae, Hutchinson and Dalziel. Flora of West Tropical Africa 1:2. 1958

Morphology General Habit

Erect shrub, to 5 ft. high

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers yellow.

Note

Steyaert (l.c.) distinguishes 3 varieties: var. kirkii —stems with long, spreading, woolly hairs mixed with the shorter appressed hairs; var. guineensis Steyaert —stems with appressed hairs only; var. glabra Steyaert —plant quite glabrous.  The first two varieties occur in our area, but several specimens are intermediate.

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

Morphology General Habit

Erect annual herb 30–120(–240) cm. high, with the single main stem often becoming rather woody in its lower part and thus perhaps enabling the plant to perennate for a short time.

Morphology Stem

Stems simple or ± branched, glabrous to pubescent or ± clothed with spreading hairs.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves oblong to linear-oblong, mostly 2.5–13(–17) cm. long, 1.5–3(–4) cm. wide; gland near top of petiole, sessile, ± elliptic, cushion-like, depressed in middle, (0.75–)1.2–1.8(–2) mm. long, 0.5–1.0 mm. wide, yellow; sometimes a smaller second gland present below the upper one; rhachis eglandular or with some sessile glands towards apex, channelled but not crenate-crested along upper side; leaflets sessile, in (12–) 18–43(–51) pairs, narrowly oblong or linear-oblong, (4–)5.5–17(–20) mm. long, (1–)1.25–3.2(–5) mm. wide, acute or subacute and mucronate, glabrous to pubescent on both surfaces; midrib somewhat excentric (towards anticous margin) but giving off ± prominent lateral nerves towards both margins.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences mostly supra-axillary, (1–)2–5-flowered; pedicels (0.6–) 1–2.3 cm. long, very shortly pubescent to densely spreading-hairy.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Petals yellow, 8–15 mm. long, 5–11 mm. wide.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pods (3–)5–9 cm. long, 5–6 mm. wide.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds brown, ± rhombic, 3.3–5 mm. long, 2–2.5 mm. wide, not areolate.

Figures

Figs. 10/40, p. 57, & 16.