Code
ALZOV
Growth form
broadleaf
Biological cycle
annual
Habitat
terrestrial
🗒 Synonyms
| synonym | Alysicarpus nummulariifolius sensu DC. |
| synonym | Alysicarpus ovalifolius (Schumach. & Thonn.) J.Léonard |
| synonym | Alysicarpus paradoxus Baill. |
| synonym | Alysicarpus scaber Span. |
| synonym | Alysicarpus vaginale sensu auct.mult. |
| synonym | Alysicarpus vaginalis sensu Huang & H.Ohashi |
| synonym | Desmodium ovalifolium (Schum.) Walp. |
| synonym | Hedysarum bupleurifolium "sensu Willd., non L." |
| synonym | Hedysarum ovalifolium Schum. |
| synonym | Hedysarum vaginale (L.) DC. |
🗒 Common Names
| Malagasy |
|
📚 Overview
Description
Cotyledons
The cotyledons are oblong sub sessile. The lamina is 6 mm long and 3 mm wide.
First leaves
The first leaves are alternate and simple. They are elliptical to lanceolate. They are held by a petiole of 2 to 7 mm long, framed at the base by two papery lanceolate stipules, 6 mm long, marked with numerous longitudinal . The leaf blade is finely reticulated.
General habit
The growth habit is erect. The main axis is slightly branched and measure 30 to 60 cm in height.
Underground system
The plant has a taproot system.
Stem
The stem is cylindrical and full. It is weakly pubescent, sparsely covered with white and rigid hairs and marked with few longitudinal striations.
Leaf
The leaves are alternate and simple. The lamina is quite polymorphic and can be oblong, lanceolate to linear, measuring 3 to 7 cm long and 10 to 25 mm wide. The base is rounded sometimes slightly cordate. The apex is wide angled with a short mucro or sharp acute according to the shape of the lamina. The margin is fully lined with a few lashes. The blade is marked with 5 to 7 pairs of weakly arched ribs. The underside is crisscrossed by a network of fine reticulations. The upper surface is glabrous, while the underside is covered with a shaved pubescence. The leaf is carried by a petiole, 3-9 mm long, -, whose base is framed by two linear papery stipules, 6 mm long, and strongly ribbed longitudinally. At the base of the blade are two filiform stipels, barely visible, 0.5 mm long.
Inflorescence
The flowers are assembled in 3 to 7 pairs, forming long terminal loose clusters of 5 to 10 cm or developing opposite to a leaf. The internodes between flowers are longer than the flowers themselves.
Flower
The flowers are 5 mm long. The calyx is divided into 5 non-overlapping tines as long as the first article of the fruit and is finely pubescent. The corolla consists of an upper white petal (standard), a lower petal (keel) and 2 lateral petals (wings) of pink colour. There are 10 stamens, of which 9 have their filaments fused in groove and the tenth is free.
Fruit
The fruits are linear pods, 12 to 25 mm long, comprising of 6 to 8 articulated segments without bottlenecks. The segments are rectangular with elliptical cross section. They are 4 mm long and 3 mm wide. The last one is rounded and surmounted by a short tip. The outer wall is strongly reticulated and covered with a fine pubescence. Each segment contains one seed.
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Global description
Alysicarpus ovalifolius is a plant with simple alternate leaves, oblong to lanceolate in shape. The base of the petiole is framed by two lanceolate stipules, papery and strongly striated longitudinally. The inflorescences are loose clusters, 3 to 7 pairs of white and pink flowers. The tines of the calyx are not nested and are as long as the first article of the fruit. Of the 10 stamens, 9 have their filaments fused in groove. The fruit is a linear pod consisting 6-8 rectangular sections without restriction between them. The wall is crosslinked, and finely pubescent.Cotyledons
The cotyledons are oblong sub sessile. The lamina is 6 mm long and 3 mm wide.
First leaves
The first leaves are alternate and simple. They are elliptical to lanceolate. They are held by a petiole of 2 to 7 mm long, framed at the base by two papery lanceolate stipules, 6 mm long, marked with numerous longitudinal . The leaf blade is finely reticulated.
General habit
The growth habit is erect. The main axis is slightly branched and measure 30 to 60 cm in height.
Underground system
The plant has a taproot system.
Stem
The stem is cylindrical and full. It is weakly pubescent, sparsely covered with white and rigid hairs and marked with few longitudinal striations.
Leaf
The leaves are alternate and simple. The lamina is quite polymorphic and can be oblong, lanceolate to linear, measuring 3 to 7 cm long and 10 to 25 mm wide. The base is rounded sometimes slightly cordate. The apex is wide angled with a short mucro or sharp acute according to the shape of the lamina. The margin is fully lined with a few lashes. The blade is marked with 5 to 7 pairs of weakly arched ribs. The underside is crisscrossed by a network of fine reticulations. The upper surface is glabrous, while the underside is covered with a shaved pubescence. The leaf is carried by a petiole, 3-9 mm long, -, whose base is framed by two linear papery stipules, 6 mm long, and strongly ribbed longitudinally. At the base of the blade are two filiform stipels, barely visible, 0.5 mm long.
Inflorescence
The flowers are assembled in 3 to 7 pairs, forming long terminal loose clusters of 5 to 10 cm or developing opposite to a leaf. The internodes between flowers are longer than the flowers themselves.
Flower
The flowers are 5 mm long. The calyx is divided into 5 non-overlapping tines as long as the first article of the fruit and is finely pubescent. The corolla consists of an upper white petal (standard), a lower petal (keel) and 2 lateral petals (wings) of pink colour. There are 10 stamens, of which 9 have their filaments fused in groove and the tenth is free.
Fruit
The fruits are linear pods, 12 to 25 mm long, comprising of 6 to 8 articulated segments without bottlenecks. The segments are rectangular with elliptical cross section. They are 4 mm long and 3 mm wide. The last one is rounded and surmounted by a short tip. The outer wall is strongly reticulated and covered with a fine pubescence. Each segment contains one seed.
Wiktrop
| Attributions | Wiktrop |
| Contributors | |
| Status | UNDER_CREATION |
| Licenses | CC_BY |
| References |
No Data
📚 Nomenclature and Classification
No Data
📚 Natural History
Cyclicity
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Northern Cameroon: A. ovalifolius is a weed of mid and end of the crop cycle. Germination takes place in June when the rains become abundant. Flowering starts in August and lasts until October. Fruiting takes place from September to November, until the plant dries out at the beginning of the dry season. This late flowering does not facilitate early identification.
Madagascar : Flowering is from January to June.
Wiktrop
| Attributions | Wiktrop |
| Contributors | |
| Status | UNDER_CREATION |
| Licenses | CC_BY |
| References |
Reproduction
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A. ovalifolius is an annual species. It is only propagated by seeds. Seeds remain inside the pod segments and are dispersed by water, animals and tillage equipment.
Wiktrop
| Attributions | Wiktrop |
| Contributors | |
| Status | UNDER_CREATION |
| Licenses | CC_BY |
| References |
Look Alikes
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Distinctive characters of Alysicarpus spp. at vegetative stage
| Habit | Lamina | Petiole | Base and apex of the lamina |
Biological cycle |
Species |
| prostrate | ovate rounded | 4-12 (15) mm | cordate base, emarginate apex | perennial | A. vaginalis |
| prostrate | ovate rounded | 4-7 mm | cordate base, obtuse apex +- mucronate | annual or biannual | A. monilifer |
| erect ascending | ovate rounded | 2,5-7 mm | cordate base, obtuse apex +- mucronate | annual | A. glumaceus |
| erect ascending | ovate rounded (basal leaves) and lanceolate (upper leaves) | rounded to cordate base arrondie, obtuse to acute apex | annual (perennial) | A. ovalifolius | |
| prostrate or erect | lanceolate membranous | 3-9 mm | rounded base, acute apex +- mucronate | annual (perennial) | A. rugosus |
| erect or prostrate | lanceolate coriaceous | 2-9 mm | cordate base, acute apex +- mucronate | perennial | A. Zeyheri |
Distinctiive characters of Alysicarpus spp. at fruiting stage
| Pod shape |
Pod length |
Pod articles | Calyx | Lamina | Species |
| no constriction between articles | 12-25 mm | smooth, 4-6 (8) highly exceeding the calyx | teeth = first article | ovate rounded | A. vaginalis |
| no constriction between articles | 12-25 mm | slightly reticulate, 4-7 highly exceeding the calyx | teeth = first article | ovate at base, lanceolate at apex | A. ovalifolius |
| strong constriction between articles | 5-15 mm | well reticulate, 4-7 highly exceeding the calyx | teeth > first article | ovate rounded | A. glumaceus |
| strong constriction between articles | 5-15 mm | horizontally wrinkled, 3-4 (6) | teeth > first article | ovate rounded | A. monilifer |
| strong constriction between articles | 5-15 mm | well reticulate, 3-5 inserted in the calyx | teeth > first article | lanceolate membranous | A. rugosus |
| strong constriction between articles | 7-15 mm | slightly reticulate, 2-6 highly exceeding the calyx | teeth > first article | lanceolate coriaceous | A. Zeyheri |
Wiktrop
| Attributions | Wiktrop |
| Contributors | |
| Status | UNDER_CREATION |
| Licenses | CC_BY |
| References |
|
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This species is very difficult to differentiate at the vegetative stage, from other Alysicarpus spp. Such as the A, rugosus. and A. glumaceus. Only the shape of the calyx, color of the flower and especially the shape of the fruit are used to identify them with certainty.
Wiktrop
| Attributions | Wiktrop |
| Contributors | |
| Status | UNDER_CREATION |
| Licenses | CC_BY |
| References |
Ecology
Northern Cameroon: Alysicarpus ovalifolius is a common ruderal species on roadsides and in vacant lots. It is also a common weed of annual crops. It grows mainly in the Sudano-Sahelian regions. It presents no particular preference for soil, provided it is not too filtering with a sandy superficial degraded horizon.
Madagascar: The species thrives on lateritic soils and humiferous ferruginous soils, alluvial soils,clay soils, quite fertile, in sunny places. It is a weed of rainfed crops in semi-intensive cropping systems based on cotton, peanut, upland rice or corn. It grows at the edge of fields and roads, in fallow, disturbed sites and degraded savannas in semi-arid and sub-humid regions, until 1000 m of elevation.
Wiktrop
| Attributions | Wiktrop |
| Contributors | |
| Status | UNDER_CREATION |
| Licenses | CC_BY |
| References |
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No Data
📚 Habitat and Distribution
General Habitat
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Description
Origine
Africa
Worldwide distribution
Wiktrop
| Attributions | Wiktrop |
| Contributors | |
| Status | UNDER_CREATION |
| Licenses | CC_BY |
| References |
No Data
📚 Occurrence
No Data
📚 Demography and Conservation
Risk Statement
Madagascar: Alysicarpus ovalifolius is a common weed in sub-humid areas below 1000 m, but often scarce in crops. It does not present any particular difficulty. Sometimes A. ovalifolius may be locally abundant in peanut crops or upland rice in the fertile lowlands of West and Middle West.
Local harmfulness
North-Cameroon: Alysicarpus ovalifolius is rarely abundant in cultures although it is present in 40% of plots grown in the Sudano-Sahelian region. It is somewhat less common in the region of Sahelo-Sudanian and is no longer present in 10% of the plots in the Sudanian region. It seems to tolerate drier ecological conditions than A. rugosus, but it is scheduled to meet these two species in the same plots. In northern Cameroon, A. ovalifolius is considered as a regional species.Madagascar: Alysicarpus ovalifolius is a common weed in sub-humid areas below 1000 m, but often scarce in crops. It does not present any particular difficulty. Sometimes A. ovalifolius may be locally abundant in peanut crops or upland rice in the fertile lowlands of West and Middle West.
Wiktrop
| Attributions | Wiktrop |
| Contributors | |
| Status | UNDER_CREATION |
| Licenses | CC_BY |
| References |
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No Data
📚 Uses and Management
Management
Local management
Madagascar: This species is controlled by manual weeding with angady or mechanical weeding (in cultivations of cotton or corn in row).
Madagascar: This species is controlled by manual weeding with angady or mechanical weeding (in cultivations of cotton or corn in row).
Thomas Le Bourgeois, Randriamampianina Jean Augustin
| Attributions | |
| Contributors | |
| Status | UNDER_CREATION |
| Licenses | CC_BY |
| References |
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No Data
📚 Information Listing
Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)
Thomas Le Bourgeois
| Attributions | |
| Contributors | |
| Status | UNDER_CREATION |
| Licenses | CC_BY |
| References |
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References
- Hutchinson J., Dalziel J. M., Keay R. W. J. & Hepper F. N., 1958. Flora of West Tropical Africa. Vol. I part. 2. 2ème éd. The Whitefriars Press ed., London & Tonbridge, 828 p.
- Berhaut J., 1967. Flore du Sénégal. 2ème éd. Clairafrique éd., Dakar, Sénégal, 485 p.
- Le Bourgeois Th., 1993. Les mauvaises herbes dans la rotation cotonnière au Nord-Cameroun (Afrique) - Amplitude d'habitat et degré d'infestation - Cycle de développement. Thèse USTL Montpellier II, Montpellier, France, 241 p.
- Berhaut J., 1976. Flore illustrée du Sénégal. Tome 5. Clairafrique éd., Dakar, Sénégal, 658 p.
- DU PUY D. J., LABAT J. N., RABEVOHITRA R., VILLIERS J. F., BOSSER J. & MOAT J., 2002 – The Leguminoseae of Madagascar. ROYAL BOTANIC GARDENS, Kew, 2002, p 624.
Natural History > Look Alikes
- Akoégninou, A., van der Burg, W.J. & van der Maesen, L.G. 2006. Flore analytique du Bénin. Cotonou, Bénin, Wageningen, Pays-Bas, Backhuis Publishers.
- Flora of China
Information Listing > References
- Hutchinson J., Dalziel J. M., Keay R. W. J. & Hepper F. N., 1958. Flora of West Tropical Africa. Vol. I part. 2. 2ème éd. The Whitefriars Press ed., London & Tonbridge, 828 p.
- Berhaut J., 1967. Flore du Sénégal. 2ème éd. Clairafrique éd., Dakar, Sénégal, 485 p.
- Le Bourgeois Th., 1993. Les mauvaises herbes dans la rotation cotonnière au Nord-Cameroun (Afrique) - Amplitude d'habitat et degré d'infestation - Cycle de développement. Thèse USTL Montpellier II, Montpellier, France, 241 p.
- Berhaut J., 1976. Flore illustrée du Sénégal. Tome 5. Clairafrique éd., Dakar, Sénégal, 658 p.
- DU PUY D. J., LABAT J. N., RABEVOHITRA R., VILLIERS J. F., BOSSER J. & MOAT J., 2002 – The Leguminoseae of Madagascar. ROYAL BOTANIC GARDENS, Kew, 2002, p 624.
Etude floristique et phytoécologique des adventices des complexes sucriers de Ferké 1 et 2, de Borotou-Koro et de Zuenoula, en Côte d'Ivoire
TL
Thomas Le BourgeoisImages
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Herbarium pictures ReCOLNAT: https://explore.recolnat.org/search/botanique/simplequery=Alysicarpus%2520ovalifolius
Thomas Le Bourgeois
| Attributions | |
| Contributors | |
| Status | UNDER_CREATION |
| Licenses | CC_BY |
| References |
No Data
🐾 Taxonomy
| Root | Root |
| Kingdom | Plantae |
| Phylum | Tracheophyta |
| Class | Magnoliopsida |
| Order | Fabales |
| Family | Fabaceae |
| Genus | Alysicarpus |
| Species | Alysicarpus ovalifolius (Schum.) Leonard |
📊 Temporal Distribution
📷 Related Observations
