Dolichos sericeus is a perennial climbing or prostrate shrub belonging to the family Fabaceae.[1]

Dolichos sericeus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Subfamily: Faboideae
Genus: Dolichos
Species:
D. sericeus
Binomial name
Dolichos sericeus

Description

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Dolichos sericeus is a shrub that can grow up to 1.2 m (3.9 ft) long, the stem is slender and twining and covered in densely appressed or spreading hairs.[2] Leaves are tri-foliate, petiolate and stipulate.[2] Leaflets are broadly ovate to elliptic, up to 72 mm long and 40 mm wide and like its stem it is densely covered in hairs.[2] Flowers are arranged in racemes, its peduncle is up to 35 mm (1.4 in) long holding 2 - 10 flowers, corolla is purple or pink gradually turning creamy with age. Fruit is crescent shaped, 6 to many seeded.[2]

Subspecies

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  • Dolichos sericeus subsp. formosus (Hochst. ex A.Rich.) Verdc.[3]
  • Dolichos sericeus subsp. glabrescens Verdc.
  • Dolichos sericeus subsp. pseudofalcatus Verdc.
  • Dolichos sericeus subsp. sericeus

Distribution

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Dolichos sericeus is native to Tropical Africa, it is distributed in the horn of Africa, eastern and southern Africa and also occurring in Nigeria and Cameroon.[3] Found in forest margins, prefers sandy or loamy soil.[2]

References

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  1. ^ Germishuizen, G.; Clark, R. P. (2023), Eggli, Urs; Nyffeler, Reto (eds.), "Dolichos FABACEAE", Dicotyledons: Rosids, Cham: Springer International Publishing, pp. 661–663, doi:10.1007/978-3-030-93492-7_64, ISBN 978-3-030-93491-0, retrieved 2024-05-24
  2. ^ a b c d e Moteetee, A.N.; Van Wyk, B.-E. (2012). "A revision of the genus Dolichos (Fabaceae, Papilionoideae, Phaseoleae), including Lesotho and Swaziland". South African Journal of Botany. 78: 178–194. doi:10.1016/j.sajb.2011.06.012.
  3. ^ a b "Dolichos sericeus E.Mey. | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 2024-05-24.