Indigofera zavattarii Chiov.

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

Morphology General Habit

Silvery perennial herb branching from a woody base, up to 50 cm. tall.

Morphology Stem

Young stems, like the stipules, leaves, peduncles and calyces more or less densely clothed with rather long white hairs, mostly appressed, but many spreading at the tips, the older stems reddish-brown, glabrescent.

Morphology Leaves

Stipules linear, 2–3 mm. long; rhachis up to 10 mm. long, including a petiole of 2–4 mm., not or hardly prolonged beyond the lateral leaflets; leaflets 5–7 or often 3 in the lowest leaf of each branch, cuneate-oblong or oblanceolate, obtuse or acute, apiculate, often folded and recurved at the apex, up to 11 mm. long and 3 mm. wide.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Racemes 1–4-flowered; peduncles 10–15 mm. long; bracts filiform, up to 1.5 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx 2–3 mm. long; tube less than 1 mm. long; lobes linear-subulate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla silvery strigulose outside.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens ± 6 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pods subcylindrical, 12–17 mm. long, ± 2 mm. wide and thick, strigulose, 5–8 seeded; endocarp minutely spotted.

Habitat

Rocky hillsides; 1800–2250 m.

Distribution

K1 K2 U1 southern Ethiopia