Family:
Fabaceae Lindl.
Genus:
Pleurolobus J.St.-Hil.

Pleurolobus tanganyikensis (Baker) H.Ohashi & K.Ohashi

This species is accepted, and its native range is Tanzania to S. Tropical Africa.

[FZ]

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

Morphology General Habit
Erect or suberect subshrubby perennial herb 0.6–2 m tall.
Morphology Stem
Stems angular, densely shortly bristly hairy on the angles and uncinulate-pubescent between them.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves 3-foliolate; leaflets 2–13 × 0.6–7 cm, elliptic or elliptic-oblong to lanceolate, acute to rounded at the apex, rounded to truncate or slightly subcordate at the base, margins entire or somewhat undulate, with sparse to dense longer hairs on the nerves and a mixture of very short and rather longer hairs between on upper surface, densely pilose beneath, the hairs on the nerves being mostly more ferruginous; venation strongly raised and reticulate beneath; petiole absent or not exceeding 5 mm; rhachis 1–4 cm long; petiolules 1 mm long; stipules 5–10 × 1.2 mm, lanceolate, densely pubescent outside, eventually deciduous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescences terminal, branched, 25–65 cm long, with same indumentum as the stem; peduncle 20–46 cm long; pedicels 2.5–4 mm long, uncinulate-pubescent; primary bracts 3 × 0.8 mm, lanceolate, soon deciduous, each subtending 3 or more pedicels; secondary bracts about half the size, 1–2 × 0.5 mm, deciduous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx with longer bristly hairs and short uncinulate pubescence; tube 1.5 mm long; lobes 2–3 mm long, ovate-triangular to lanceolate, the upper two joined to form a very rounded lobe.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Standard pink or rose-pink, rarely white or purplish, 8–9 × 6–7 mm, almost round, wings brighter rose-pink.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruits 9–22 mm long, of 1–3 articles, each article 7–8 × 6 mm, broadly elliptic, densely uncinulate-pubescent, with rather obscurely raised venation, necks between articles 1.5 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds orange-brown, strongly compressed so that edge is almost keeled, 4.2–5 × 2.5–3 × 1.3 mm, reniform; hilum small, almost central, the seed margin raised to one side of it.

[FTEA]

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

Morphology General Habit
Erect or arching perennial herb 1.2–1.5 m. tall with reddish angular stem and branches abundantly spreading pilose with slender white tapering hairs and somewhat uncinulate-pubescent.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves 3-foliolate (rarely some 1-foliolate), stipulate, essentially sessile; terminal leaflets elliptic to elliptic-ovate, obtuse to acute at apex and apiculate, truncate to cuneate at base, 7–9 cm. long, 3–5 cm. wide; lateral leaflets apiculate, usually obliquely ovate, obtuse at apex and truncate at base, 5–8 cm. long, 3–5 cm. wide; all with margins thickened, sometimes sinuate, upper surface with long pilosity on midrib and chief lateral veins, uncinulate-pubescent throughout, lower surface with very prominent reticulate venation and long lax, usually glandular pilosity on veins.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescences terminal, racemose-paniculate, broad; rhachides abundantly spreading uncinulate-pubescent; primary bracts reddish brown, narrowly ovate-attenuate, 3–4.5 mm. long, striate, densely long white pilose on outer surface; secondary bracts similar, smaller, paler, less densely pilose; pedicels borne in fascicles of 3 to 5, densely uncinulate-pubescent, (2.5–)4–5 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx brown to brick-red, 2-lipped, long spreading pilose and minutely puberulent throughout, 4.5–5.5 mm. long (including the generally lanceolate-acuminate teeth).
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Corolla pale to rose-pink; standard almost orbicular, somewhat clawed at base, 7–8.5 mm. long, 6–7.5 mm. wide; wings and keel-petals sometimes slightly longer, obliquely oblong, obtuse, auricled at base and clawed.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens sometimes with the filament a little elongated beyond the anther-thecae.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style
Style long and bent at apex.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit essentially sessile, 1–3-articled, with the style persistent, upper suture somewhat indented, the lower deeply so at the isthmi, uncinulate-pubescent throughout, ± straight pilose on and near sutures; articles suborbicular to subelliptic or almost rectangular, 5–8 mm. long, 4.5–6 mm. wide.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seed elliptic-reniform, brown, 3–4 mm. long, 2.5 mm. wide.
Figures
Fig. 66.
Habitat
Deciduous woodland or grassland; 930–2100 m.
Distribution
T4 T7 T8

[ILDIS]

International Legume Database and Information Service

Conservation
Not Threatened
Ecology
Africa: Zambezian woodland, Zambezian grassland
Morphology General Habit
Perennial, Not climbing, Herb

Native to:

Angola, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, Zambia, Zaïre, Zimbabwe

Pleurolobus tanganyikensis (Baker) H.Ohashi & K.Ohashi appears in other Kew resources:

Date Reference Identified As Barcode Type Status Has image?
Jul 19, 2002 Richards, H.M. [14472], Malawi Desmodium tanganyikense K000007380 No
Jul 19, 2002 Chapman, J.D. [1167], Malawi Desmodium tanganyikense K000007381 No
Jul 19, 2002 Robinson, E.A. [4963], Zambia Desmodium tanganyikense K000007385 No
Jul 19, 2002 Richards, H.M. [4858], Zambia Desmodium tanganyikense K000007387 No
Jul 19, 2002 Goyder, D.J. [3633], Malawi Desmodium tanganyikense K000007383 No
Jul 19, 2002 Stohr, F.O. [519], Zambia Desmodium tanganyikense K000007388 No
Jul 19, 2002 Goyder, D.J. [3633], Malawi Desmodium tanganyikense K000007384 No
Jul 19, 2002 Verboom, W.C. [649], Zambia Desmodium tanganyikense K000007390 No
Jul 19, 2002 Fanshawe, D.B. [2081], Zambia Desmodium tanganyikense K000007389 No
Jul 19, 2002 Brummitt, R.K. [9283], Malawi Desmodium tanganyikense K000007382 No
Jul 19, 2002 Fanshawe, D.B. [8544], Zambia Desmodium tanganyikense K000007386 No
Mar 1, 1952 Carson, A. [27], Zambia Desmodium tanganyikense K000418255 Unknown type material Yes

First published in J. Jap. Bot. 94: 145 (2019)

Accepted by

  • Govaerts, R., Nic Lughadha, E., Black, N., Turner, R. & Paton, A. (2021). The World Checklist of Vascular Plants, a continuously updated resource for exploring global plant diversity. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-021-00997-6 Scientific Data 8: 215.

Literature

Kew Backbone Distributions

  • Verdcourt, B. (2000). Flora Zambesiaca 3(6): 1-175. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

  • Flora Zambesiaca

    Flora Zambesiaca
    http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of Tropical East Africa

    Flora of Tropical East Africa
    http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • International Legume Database and Information Service

    International Legume Database and Information Service (ILDIS) V10.39 Nov 2011
    http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Selected Plant Families 2022. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/
    © Copyright 2017 World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Selected Plant Families 2022. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/
    © Copyright 2017 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0