| Synonyms: |
Lathyrus malosanus Baker Vicia malosana (Baker) Baker f. |
| Common names: | |
| Frequency: | |
| Status: | Native |
| Description: |
Delicate straggling climbing or suberect perennial herb up to 1 m tall. Stems angular, densely hairy when young, becoming almost hairless. Leaves 2–foliolate, rarely 3 or 4; leaflets linear to narrowly elliptic, 12–45 mm long, narrowed at both ends, sparsely hairy on both surfaces; petiole obsolete or up to 2 mm long; rhachis ending in a mostly simple tendril; stipules 5–13 mm long, semi-sagittate. Racemes 1–5-flowered on a peduncle 20–35 mm long; pedicels 2–4 mm long, hairy, more densely so towards the apex. Calyx laxly hairy to almost hairless; tube 2–2.5 mm long; lobes subequal, 1–5 mm long. Corolla blue, mauve or violet, 9–10 mm long; standard obovate, c. 10 mm long, emarginate, sometimes greenish; wings as long as the standard or slightly shorter. Pod oblong, 24–30 mm long, flat, hairless. |
| Type location: |
Malawi |
| Notes: | |
| Derivation of specific name: | paucifolia: with few leaves. |
| Habitat: | In and at margins of wet or marshy places by rivers, and in montane grassland. |
| Altitude range: (metres) | 1220 - 2250 m |
| Flowering time: | |
| Worldwide distribution: | Southern Tanzania, Malawi and Zambia. |
| FZ divisions: | W,E |
| Zambian distribution (Provinces): | Cb,Mc |
| Growth form(s): | |
| Endemic status: | |
| Red data list status: | |
| Insects associated with this species: | |
| Spot characters: | Display spot characters for this species |
| Images last updated: | Tuesday 8 October 2019 |
| Literature: |
Burrows, J.E. & Willis, C.K. (eds) (2005). Plants of the Nyika Plateau Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 31 SABONET, Pretoria Page 171. (Includes a picture). Martins, E.S. et al. (2003). Papilionoideae Flora Zambesiaca 3(7) Pages 23 - 25. (Includes a picture). Phiri, P.S.M. (2005). A Checklist of Zambian Vascular Plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 32 Page 65. |