Kotschya aeschynomenoides (Welw. ex Baker) Dewit & P.A.Duvign.

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

Morphology General Habit

Erect, rarely decumbent, aromatic shrub (0.15–)0.5–3 m. tall.

Morphology Stem

Stems sticky and glandular, densely covered with bristly tubercular-based hairs.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves (12–)16–34-foliolate; leaflets oblong to oblong-lanceolate, 0.2– 1.4(–1.7) cm. long, 1–3.5 mm. wide, obtuse and mucronulate at the apex, oblique at the base, glabrous save for sparse glandular hairs on the main nerve beneath; basal nerves 2–3, the main one submarginal; petiole and rhachis together 1.3–7.5 cm. long; petiolules 0.5 mm. long; stipules lanceolate, 4–7 mm. long, 1–3 mm. wide, acute, scarious, glandular ciliate, ± deciduous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences axillary, often curved, dense, strobilate; rhachis 1–7 cm. long; peduncle 0.5–1.5 cm. long; pedicels 5–7 mm. long; bracts free, falcate-lanceolate or ovate, 2–6 mm. long, 1–3 mm. wide, acute, asymmetric at the base, pubescent; bracteoles free, elliptic to elliptic-lanceolate, 2–6(–7) mm. long, 0.7–2 mm. wide, pubescent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx pubescent, 4–8 mm. long, 2-lipped, the lips elliptic or oblong, the upper deeply emarginate, the lower deeply divided into 3 rounded or acute ovate lobes.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Standard white, pale lilac or bluish-violet, often veined mauve, rounded, 0.8–1.2 cm. long, 4–9 mm. wide, emarginate, glabrous save for a few hairs on the central nerve; claw conspicuous; wings white; keel white or bluish-violet.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pods of 1–2 articles, each semicircular, 2–2.5 mm. long and wide, glabrous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds dark brown, oblong-rounded, longest dimension 2 mm., shorter dimension 1.7 mm., 1.2 mm. thick.

Habitat

Upland grassland and evergreen bushland including Hypericum, Philippia bushland, Oxytenanthera thicket and Protea, Pteridium grassland, also Brachystegia woodland and upland forest; 1350–2550 m.

Distribution

K4 K5 K6 K7 T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T7 T8 U2

Leguminosae, B. Verdcourt. Flora Zambesiaca 3:6. 2000

Morphology General Habit

Erect, rarely decumbent, aromatic shrub (0.15)0.5–3 m tall.

Morphology Stem

Stems sticky and glandular, densely covered with bristly tubercular-based hairs.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves (12)16–34-foliolate; leaflets 2–14(17) × 1–3.5 mm, oblong to oblong-lanceolate, obtuse and mucronulate at the apex, oblique at the base, glabrous save for sparse glandular hairs on the main nerve beneath; basal nerves 2–3, the main one submarginal; petiole and rhachis together 1.3–7.5 cm long; petiolules 0.5 mm long; stipules 4–7 × 1–3 mm, lanceolate, acute, scarious, glandular-ciliate, ± deciduous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences axillary, often curved, dense, strobilate; peduncle 5–15 mm long; rhachis 1–7 cm long; pedicels 5–7 mm long; bracts free, 2–6 × 1–3 mm, falcate-lanceolate or ovate, acute, asymmetric at the base, pubescent; bracteoles free, 2–6(7) × 0.7–2 mm, elliptic to elliptic-lanceolate, pubescent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx pubescent, 4–8 mm long, 2-lipped; lips elliptic or oblong, the upper deeply emarginate, the lower deeply divided into 3 rounded or acute ovate lobes.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Standard white, pale lilac or bluish-violet, often veined mauve, 8–12 × 4–9 mm, rounded, emarginate, glabrous save for a few hairs on the central nerve; claw conspicuous, wings white; keel white or bluish-violet.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit of 1–2 articles; articles 2–2.5 mm long and wide, semicircular, glabrous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds dark brown, 2 × 1.7 × 1.2 mm, oblong-rounded.

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