Kotschya eurycalyx (Harms) Dewit & P.A.Duvign.

International Legume Database and Information Service

Conservation

Not Threatened

Ecology

Africa: Afromontane grassland

Morphology General Habit

Perennial, Not climbing, Herb/Shrub

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

Morphology General Habit

Erect or decumbent herb or subshrub 12–50 cm. tall from a woody rootstock.

Morphology Stem

Stems with tubercular-based bristly hairs but later glabrous and sometimes with peeling epidermis.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves 5–10-foliolate; leaflets obliquely elliptic-oblong, slightly to distinctly falcate, 0.4–1.4 cm. long, 1.5–6 mm. wide, acute or subacute at the apex, obliquely subcordate at the base, ciliate with spaced marginal hairs or practically glabrous, 5–6-nerved from the base, the venation prominent on both sides; main nerve eccentric; petiole and rhachis together 3–6 cm. long; petiolules minute; stipules narrowly lanceolate, 1–2 cm. long, 1–3 mm. wide, acuminate, scarious, ribbed, ciliate, persistent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences axillary in the upper leaves, together forming a dense head, individual parts several–many-flowered, very dense, strobilate, subsessile, 1.5–2.5 cm. long; pedicels 4–6 mm. long; bracts obliquely ovate or ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, 0.5–1.5 cm. long, 3–4.5 mm. wide, striate, ciliate; bracteoles lanceolate, 4–8 mm. long, 2–3 mm. wide, striate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx leafy and venose, pubescent, 1–1.4 cm. long, 2-lipped; upper lip divided into 2 almost free obovate-oblong lobes 1.3–1.4 cm. long, each 7.5–9.5 mm. wide; lower lip deeply divided into 3 lobes, the outer pair ovate or obovate, 1–1.2 cm. long, 5.5–6.5(–9) mm. wide, but the central one small, elliptic, 6–8 mm. long, 2–2.5 mm. wide; all lobes ciliate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Standard bright blue, round or squarish-obovate, 0.8–1.2 cm. long, 8.5–10 mm. wide, pubescent along the midrib and ciliate along the upper margin; wings blue, ciliate at apex; keel greenish.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pods of 1–2 articles, each kettle drum-shaped, 4–5 mm. long, 4–4.5 mm. wide, densely pilose.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds chestnut, oblong-reniform, longest dimension 3.5 mm., shorter dimension 3 mm., 1.3 mm. thick.

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

Morphology General Habit

Erect or decumbent herb or subshrub 12–50 cm tall from a woody rootstock.

Morphology Stem

Stems with tubercular-based bristly hairs but later glabrous and sometimes with peeling epidermis.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves 5–10-foliolate; leaflets 4–14 × 1.5–6 mm, obliquely elliptic-oblong, slightly to distinctly falcate, acute or subacute at the apex, obliquely subcordate at the base, ciliate with spaced marginal hairs or practically glabrous, 5–6-nerved from the base, the venation prominent on both sides; main nerve eccentric; petiole and rhachis together 3–6 cm long; petiolules minute; stipules 10–20 × 1–3 mm, narrowly lanceolate, acuminate, scarious, ribbed, ciliate, persistent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences axillary in the upper leaves, together forming a dense head, individual parts several–many-flowered, very dense, strobilate, subsessile, 1.5–2.5 cm long; pedicels 4–6 mm long; bracts 5–15 × 3–4.5 mm, obliquely ovate or ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, striate, ciliate; bracteoles 4–8 × 2–3 mm, lanceolate, striate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx leaf-like and venose, pubescent, 10–14 mm long, 2-lipped; upper lip divided into 2 almost free obovate-oblong lobes 13–14 mm long, each 7.5–9.5 mm wide; lower lip deeply divided into 3 lobes, the outer pair 10–12 × 5.5–6.5(9) mm, ovate or obovate, but the central one small, 6–8 × 2–2.5 mm, elliptic; all lobes ciliate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Standard bright blue, 8–12 × 8.5–10 mm, round or squarish-obovate, pubescent along the midrib and ciliate along the upper margin; wings blue, ciliate at apex; keel greenish.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit of 1–2 articles, 4–5 × 4–4.5 mm, each article kettle-drum-shaped, densely pilose.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds chestnut-brown, 3.5 × 3 × 1.3 mm, oblong-reniform.