Fabaceae
Chamaecrista

Chamaecrista polytricha (Brenan) Lock

First published in Kew Bull. 43: 337 (1988)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Tanzania to S. Tropical Africa. It grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropical biome.

Descriptions

Leguminosae, R.K. Brummitt, A.C. Chikuni, J.M. Lock and R.M. Polhill. Flora Zambesiaca 3:2. 2007

Morphology General Habit
Annual or perennial herb.
Morphology Stem
Stems terete, hairy; hairs mostly straight and spreading.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves paripinnate, 3.8–6 × 0.8–1.5 cm; stipules 12–16 × 1.4–1.8 mm, very narrowly triangular, apex long-acuminate, base asymmetrically rounded to subcordate, margins and outer surface hairy; petiolar gland single, 0.4–0.6 mm in diameter, circular, sessile, sometime with the margins turned down so that the gland appears saddle-shaped; rachis weakly crenate, usually ciliate on the ridge margins, hairy beneath; leaflets in 32–60 pairs, 4.5–7.5 × 0.8–1.4 mm, narrowly oblong, weakly asymmetric, base asymmetric, proximal side rounded, distal side rounded-cuneate, apex acute, scattered-hairy mainly on the margins; midrib excentric; 4–5 lateral nerves from base on proximal side, 0–1 on distal side.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescences supra-axillary, 1–3-flowered; pedicels 1.2–2.4 cm long in flower, elongating slightly in fruit, spreading hairy.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Sepals 6.2–10.5 × 1.4–3.8 mm, narrowly ovate, acuminate, spreading hairy outside.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals yellow, 6.3–12.2 × 4–8 mm, broadly obovate to elliptic.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens 10, four longer than the rest.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil
Ovary 4–6 mm long, densely appressed-pubescent; style 4–6 mm long, almost glabrous; stigma terminal.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Pods 4.5–5 × 0.4–0.5 cm, sparsely hairy.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds mid-brown, shiny, 2.5–3 × 1.3–1.5 mm, oblong-rhomboid.
[FZ]

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
[AERP]

International Legume Database and Information Service

Conservation
Not Threatened
Ecology
Africa: Zambezian woodland, Zambezian grassland
Morphology General Habit
Annual, Not climbing, Herb
[ILDIS]

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

Morphology General Habit
A variable, annual or perennial herb with simple or somewhat branched, erect or ascending stems up to 50(–100) cm. high.
Morphology Stem
Stems densely clothed with straight spreading hairs 0.25–1.5 mm. long.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves oblong-lanceolate, gradually narrowed towards apex, 2–6 cm. long, 0.6–1.7 cm. wide; gland at top of petiole, sessile, orbicular or nearly so, flattened above, 0.5–0.75 mm. long and wide; rhachis eglandular, not or scarcely crenate-crested along upper side; leaflets sessile, in 27–59 pairs (but as few as 10–18 pairs or less in lowest cauline leaves), linear-oblong, (2.5–)3.5–10 mm. long, 0.5–1.5 mm. wide, acute at apex with the point turned towards leaf-apex (or sometimes subacute and mucronate in var. pauciflora), conspicuously ciliate on the margins, otherwise glabrous or nearly so; midrib strongly excentric (within 0.25 mm. of anticous margin); lateral nerves prominulous beneath, those on anticous side of midrib absent.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescences axillary or shortly supra-axillary, 1–4-flowered; pedicels 1–2.5 cm. long, densely pubescent with ascending or spreading but not appressed hairs.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals yellow, obovate, 5–13 mm. long, 3.5–9 mm. wide.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Pods linear, 3.2–6 cm. long, 4.5–5 mm. wide, ± spreading-pubescent.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds brown, ± rhombic, 2.5–3 mm. long, 1.5–1.75 mm. wide, without areoles.
[FTEA]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • 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 Vascular Plants 2026. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2026. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0