Rhynchosia totta (Thunb.) DC.

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

Morphology General Habit

Climber or twiner or ascending herb 0·2–1 m. long, with slender stems from a tuberous rootstock.

Morphology Stem

Stems glabrescent to densely covered with long silvery or ferruginous adpressed or spreading hairs.

Morphology Leaves

Leaflets 3 (or in some South African variants some unifoliolate leaves also present), narrowly elliptic-oblong to elliptic, round or oblong-lanceolate, 1–5·5 cm. long, 0·3–2·7 cm. wide, acute or subacute and mucronulate at the apex, rounded or slightly subcordate at the base, glabrescent to silky pilose or velvety, obscurely gland-dotted; venation usually very prominent and reticulate, particularly beneath, usually pale and yellowish, at least in dried specimens, particularly above; petiole 0·7–3 cm. long; rhachis 1–6 mm. long; petiolules 0·5–1·5 mm. long; stipules lanceolate, 2·5–6 mm. long, 0·5–2 mm. wide.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers solitary to few in very lax inflorescences; peduncle 1·3–3 cm. long; true pedicels 2–4 mm. long; bracts ovate or lanceolate, ± 1–5 mm. long, 0·5 mm. wide.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx pubescent to silky pilose; tube 2 mm. long; lobes lanceolate, 2·5–8 mm. long, the lowest usually the longest, the upper pair joined for ± half their length.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Standard yellow, flushed reddish, obovate, 0·9–1·2(–1·4) cm. long, 6–8·5 mm. wide, glabrous (or in some Transvaal and Rhodesian variants pubescent); wings yellow; keel greenish-yellow.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pods falcate-oblanceolate, 1·5–3·7 cm. long, 5–8 mm. wide, narrowed below, apiculate, covered with rather long and shorter pubescence or silky pilose.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds dark red mottled black, reniform, longest dimension 3–4·5 mm., shorter dimensions 2–3·5 mm.

Leguminosae, B. Mackinder, R. Pasquet, R. Polhill and B. Verdcourt. Flora Zambesiaca 3:5. 2001

Morphology General Habit

Climber or twiner or ascending herb 0.2–1 m long, with slender stems from a tuberous rootstock.

Morphology Stem

Stems glabrescent to densely covered with long silvery or ferruginous appressed or spreading hairs.

Morphology Leaves Leaflets

Leaflets 3 (or in some South African variants some 1-foliolate leaves also present), 1–9.5 × 0.3–2.7 cm, narrowly elliptic-oblong to elliptic, round or oblong-lanceolate, acute or subacute and mucronulate at the apex, rounded or slightly subcordate at the base, glabrescent to silky pilose or velvety, obscurely gland-dotted; venation usually very prominent and reticulate, particularly beneath, usually pale and yellowish, at least in dried specimens, particularly above; petiole 0.7–3 cm long; rhachis 1–6 mm long; petiolules 0.5–1.5 mm long; stipules 2.5–6 × 0.5–2 mm, lanceolate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers solitary to few in very lax inflorescences; peduncle 1.3–3.5 cm long; true pedicels 2–4 mm long; bracts c. 1–5 × 0.5 mm, ovate or lanceolate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx pubescent to silky pilose; tube 2 mm long; lobes 2.5–8 mm long, lanceolate, the lowest usually the longest, the upper pair joined for ± half their length.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Standard yellow, flushed reddish, 7–12(14) × 6–8.5 mm, obovate, glabrous or rarely pubescent; wings yellow; keel greenish-yellow.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pods 15–37 × 5–8 mm, falcate-oblanceolate, narrowed below, apiculate, covered with rather long and shorter pubescence or silky pilose.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds dark red, mottled black to ± entirely black, 3–4.5 × 2–3.5 mm, reniform.

M. Thulin et al. Flora of Somalia, Vol. 1-4 [updated 2008] https://plants.jstor.org/collection/FLOS

Morphology General Habit

Twining or ascending perennial; stems slender, glabrescent to densely pubescent

Morphology Leaves Leaflets

Leaflets 3, oblong-lanceolate, 2–5 x 0.5–1 cm, acute at the apex, glabrescent to silky pubescent; venation prominent and reticulate

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers solitary or few in very lax inflorescences

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx-lobes lanceolate, 2.5–8 mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Standard yellow, flushed reddish, 7–12 mm long, glabrous

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pod c. 15–25 x 6 mm, with long and short hairs or silky pilose.

Distribution

N1 (“Wagga” Mt) Eritrea, Ethiopia and southwards to South Africa; Yemen

Ecology

Fairly high altitude.

Note

The single specimen from Somalia is glabrescent and has solitary flowers and belongs to var. totta. Var. venulosa, with densely pubescent stems and leaves, is also widespread in tropical and southern Africa, but does not reach Arabia.

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

International Legume Database and Information Service

Conservation

Not Threatened

Ecology

Africa: Lake Victoria regional transition zone; grasslands, Somalia-Masai grasslands, Zambezian grassland

Morphology General Habit

Perennial, Climbing/Not climbing, Herb