Indigofera volkensii Taub.

[FSOM]

M. Thulin et al. Flora of Somalia, Vol. 1-4 [updated 2008] https://plants.jstor.org/collection/FLOS

Morphology General Habit: Perennial, up to 40 cm tall
Morphology General Indumentum: Stems, leaf-rhachides and inflorescences ± densely strigose, the hairs often spreading at the tips
Morphology Leaves: Leaf-rhachis up to 30 mm long including a petiole of 1–7 mm
Morphology Leaves Leaflets: Leaflets 2–7, alternate, lanceolate-oblong, the terminal largest, up to 45 x 18 mm, strigose on both sides
Morphology Leaves Stipules: Stipules narrow, hardly scarious, without a glabrescent margin
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences: Racemes up to 7(–15) cm long including the peduncle
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx: Calyx 3.5–6 mm long, divided almost to the base into setaceous lobes
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla: Standard pubescent outside
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens: Stamens 3.5–5 mm long
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits: Pod up to 15 x 2 mm, straight, deflexed, 5–8-seeded.
Distribution: N1–3; C1, 2; S1, 2; Eritrea, Ethiopia, Sudan, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania
Ecology: Altitude range 0–1800 m.
Vernacular: Geed-xajiin, nagaro (Somali).
Note: I. volkensii is very variable, particularly in number and size of leaflets, indumentum and flower size. It is taken here in a broad sense, including also I. sesquijuga and I. viridiflora which have, up to now, been regarded as distinct species. The related and widespread I. spicata Forssk., with stipules with a broad scarious base and glabrescent at the margin, almost certainly occurs in Somalia but has not yet been recorded.

[ILDIS]

International Legume Database and Information Service

Conservation: Not Threatened
Ecology: Africa: Somalia-Masai bushland and thicket, Somalia-Masai grasslands, Somalia-Masai anthropic landscapes
Morphology General Habit: Annual/Perennial, Not climbing, Herb

[FTEA]

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

Morphology General Habit: Branching herb up to 40 cm. tall from a perennial rootstock; stems, inflorescences, stipules and leaf-rhachides ± densely strigose or pilose, the hairs often spreading at the tips.
Morphology Leaves: Stipules rather scarious at the broad base, tapering to a setaceous tip, up to 8 mm. long; rhachis up to 25 mm. long, including a petiole of 1–5 mm., produced up to 5 mm. beyond lateral leaflets; leaflets 3–7, alternate, lanceolate-oblong, the terminal much larger than the lateral, up to 45 mm. long and 15 mm. wide, strigose on both surfaces.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences: Racemes diffusely strigose, up to 7 cm. long, including a peduncle of 1–2.5 cm.; bracts lanceolate, up to 4 mm. long, diffusely strigose, caducous; pedicels ± 1 mm. long, reflexed after flowering.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx: Calyx strigose, 4–6 mm. long, divided almost to the base into setaceous lobes, the lower much longer than the upper.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla: Corolla strigose-pubescent outside, very caducous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens: Stamens 4–5 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits: Pod straight, rather tetragonal, up to 15 mm. long, ± 2 mm. wide, 5–8-seeded.
Figures: Fig. 46/1–16, p. 316.
Habitat: Acacia, Commiphora bushland, scattered tree grassland and as a weed in cultivated areas; 200–2200 m.; rainfall 250–1000 mm.
Distribution: SE. Sudan, S. Ethiopia K1 K2 K3 K4 K6 K7 T1 T2 T3 T5 T6 U1

[FTEA]

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

Morphology General Habit: Annual or short-lived perennial procumbent herb.
Morphology General Indumentum: Indumentum of white biramous hairs rather dense and nearly always appressed on stems and leaves, somewhat spreading on inflorescence, calyx and fruit.
Morphology Leaves: Stipules narrowly linear-lanceolate, subfalcate; leaf-rhachis up to 15 mm. long, including a petiole of up to 7 mm.; leaflets 2–4, broadly elliptic, obtuse, the terminal one larger than the lateral and up to 20 mm. long and 15 mm. wide, the hairs on the upper surface more slender than those beneath.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences: Raceme up to 9 cm. long including a peduncle up to 3.5 cm. long; flowers numerous; pedicels ± 1 mm. long in fruit.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx: Calyx pilose, deeply divided, about as long as the 3.5 mm. long stamens.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits: Pod straight, ± 12 mm. long and 2 mm. wide, 6–7-seeded; endocarp with pale spots in 4 longitudinal bands.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds: Seeds cuboid, orange.
Habitat: Semi-desert grassland at edge of riverine forest; 780 m.
Distribution: K2

[ILDIS]

International Legume Database and Information Service

Conservation: Not Threatened
Ecology: Africa: Somalia-Masai grasslands
Morphology General Habit: Annual/Perennial, Not climbing, Herb

Native to:

Benin, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Repu, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Mali, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Yemen