taxonID	type	description	language	source
AA1F81B28C665F9880FF948B2183A611.taxon	description	Fig. 1	en	Stirton, Charles H., Bello, Abubakar, Muasya, A. Muthama (2025): Nomenclatural notes on the genus Psoralea (Psoraleeae, Fabaceae) in South Africa. Plant Ecology and Evolution 158 (2): 168-180, DOI: 10.5091/plecevo.138728
AA1F81B28C665F9880FF948B2183A611.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis Psoralea acocksii is most similar to P. flexuosa (C. H. Stirt.) C. H. Stirt. but differs in its low tangled habit with smooth stems (P. flexuosa a more robust erect laxly branched shrub with densely lenticelled stems); with dull greyish green, elliptic to obovate, flattish leaflets, sparsely sericeous on both surfaces (P. flexuosa with conduplicate broadly obovate leaflets, sparsely sericeous on lower surface only, and shiny bright green above); with more compact inflorescences at ends of long seasonal shoots bearing white flowers (P. flexuosa with lax zig-zag like inflorescences bearing greenish-white flowers); and calyx teeth much longer than the long tube (P. flexuosa with calyx teeth shorter than tube).	en	Stirton, Charles H., Bello, Abubakar, Muasya, A. Muthama (2025): Nomenclatural notes on the genus Psoralea (Psoraleeae, Fabaceae) in South Africa. Plant Ecology and Evolution 158 (2): 168-180, DOI: 10.5091/plecevo.138728
AA1F81B28C665F9880FF948B2183A611.taxon	description	Description Tangled densely branched shrub 0.3 – 1.0 m tall. Stem branches brownish, pustulate, sparsely lenticelled, appressedly puberulous, striped and grey when younger. Leaves digitately trifoliolate, petiolate. Leaflets unequal; terminal (12 –) 15 – 16 × 5.0 – 6.5 mm, elliptic to obovate, larger than the laterals, all symmetrical; recurved, mucronate, mucro 0.5 mm long; apex emarginate, base cuneate, flat to partly complicate, sparsely sericeous on both surfaces; dull greyish green; petiole 2 – 4 mm long, persistent once leaflets have dropped; petiolules <1 mm long, sericeous. Stipules 2 – 3.5 mm long, glabrous, setaceous, straight, caducous. Inflorescences laxly spicate, borne terminally, straight or arching, sparsely leafy; 30 – 45 mm long, flowers ascending; comprised of 5 – 8 triplets of shortly pedicellate flowers, each triplet subtended by a rapidly caducous, broadly oblanceolate, pubescent bract. Flowers 8 – 9 mm long, ebracteate, white; pedicel <2 mm long. Calyx teeth much longer than the 3 mm long tube; equal to subequal (carinal tooth sometimes longer); lanceolate, attenuate, carinal tooth slightly broader, 2 mm wide; vexillary teeth fused for more than half their length, appressedly puberulous, with white and blackish hairs, profusely and evenly glandular over the entire surface but glands larger on the tube. Standard petals 9 – 10 × 6 – 7 mm, broadly ovate; apex emarginate, claw 2 mm long, scarcely auriculate. Wing petals 9 – 10 × 2.5 – 3.0 mm, claw 4 mm long, auricle prominent, longer than keel petals; sculpturing upper central comprising up to 15 rows of transcostal lamellae. Keel petals 7 × 2.0 – 2.3 mm, claw 3 – 4 mm long, apex obtuse. Androecium 8 mm long, sheath split adaxially, vexillary stamen lightly fused in lower third. Pistil 7 mm long; ovary 2 mm long; sericeous on upper half, stipitate; height of curvature 2 mm, entasis broadest at point of curvature; stigma penicillate. Fruits known from photographs, hairy, glandular, elliptic, flattish, as long as calyx but not emerging. Seeds unknown.	en	Stirton, Charles H., Bello, Abubakar, Muasya, A. Muthama (2025): Nomenclatural notes on the genus Psoralea (Psoraleeae, Fabaceae) in South Africa. Plant Ecology and Evolution 158 (2): 168-180, DOI: 10.5091/plecevo.138728
AA1F81B28C665F9880FF948B2183A611.taxon	distribution	Distribution and habitat Psoralea acocksii is one of the most north-westerly species of Psoralea in southern Africa and occurs in mountain Renosterveld (Veld Type No. 43; Acocks 1975) at an elevation of 700 – 800 m a. s. l. (Fig. 2). It occupies the Namaqualand Klipkoppe Shrubland (SKn 1) and Namaqualand Shale Shrubland (SKn 2) vegetation types (Mucina and Rutherford 2006).	en	Stirton, Charles H., Bello, Abubakar, Muasya, A. Muthama (2025): Nomenclatural notes on the genus Psoralea (Psoraleeae, Fabaceae) in South Africa. Plant Ecology and Evolution 158 (2): 168-180, DOI: 10.5091/plecevo.138728
AA1F81B28C665F9880FF948B2183A611.taxon	etymology	Etymology The specific epithet acocksii is named after the South Africa plant ecologist John Phillip Harison Acocks (1911 – 1979). Acocks made a monumental contribution to the knowledge of plant ecology in southern Africa, and collected numerous herbarium specimens, over a career spanning nearly 50 years (Hoffman and Cowling 2003).	en	Stirton, Charles H., Bello, Abubakar, Muasya, A. Muthama (2025): Nomenclatural notes on the genus Psoralea (Psoraleeae, Fabaceae) in South Africa. Plant Ecology and Evolution 158 (2): 168-180, DOI: 10.5091/plecevo.138728
F536F95EF2CE5BDBBD4E237CEC02CCB7.taxon	description	Fig. 5	en	Stirton, Charles H., Bello, Abubakar, Muasya, A. Muthama (2025): Nomenclatural notes on the genus Psoralea (Psoraleeae, Fabaceae) in South Africa. Plant Ecology and Evolution 158 (2): 168-180, DOI: 10.5091/plecevo.138728
F536F95EF2CE5BDBBD4E237CEC02CCB7.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis Psoralea albidula shares a few features with P. obliqua E. Mey. such as short resprouting shrubs with verrucose shoots, digitately 3 - foliolate flat leaflets, and keel petals shorter than wing petals. It has in the past been incorrectly identified or confused with the sympatric species P. obliqua but is easily separated by green finely pubescent young shoots (P. obliqua purplish patently hairy young shoots); flat straight leaflets with a shortly recurved-mucronate apex (P. obliqua apex aristate-mucronate); lateral leaflets almost symmetrical (P. obliqua strongly asymmetrical); inflorescences densely racemose terminal, on leafy shoots 90 – 100 m long, comprised of 23 – 25 triplets of sessile flowers (P. obliqua borne in the upper 3 – 4 axils of short 60 – 80 mm long comprised of 3 - flowered axillary inflorescences borne on short 2 mm long peduncles of seasonal shoots, much overtopped by the leaves); cream or white flowers without a nectar patch on standard petals (P. obliqua pale mauve to purple flowers with dark purple nectar patch), and non-accrescent fruiting calyx (P. obliqua accrescent).	en	Stirton, Charles H., Bello, Abubakar, Muasya, A. Muthama (2025): Nomenclatural notes on the genus Psoralea (Psoraleeae, Fabaceae) in South Africa. Plant Ecology and Evolution 158 (2): 168-180, DOI: 10.5091/plecevo.138728
F536F95EF2CE5BDBBD4E237CEC02CCB7.taxon	description	Description Suffrutex up to 1 m tall. Stems up to 50, coppicing after fire; verrucose, prominently papillose and glabrescent when young. Leaves digitately trifoliolate, inserted spirally, spreading; terminal leaflet 30 – 34 × 10 – 20 mm, elliptic, laterals slightly smaller, scarcely asymmetric; stem leaflets and water shoots are much larger than those borne on seasonal flowering shoots, all leaves becoming smaller upwards towards the apex; apex recurved-mucronate, base truncate, glabrous, densely glandular; rachis channelled above; petiolule 3 mm long, glandular; petiole 2 – 3 mm long. Stipules 6 × 1.5 mm, recurved-patent, pubescent, rapidly caducous. Inflorescences terminal, densely racemose on leafy shoots 90 – 100 m long, comprised of 23 – 25 triplets of sessile flowers, each triplet subtended by a single, pubescent 3 – 7 × 3.0 – 4.3 mm, broadly ovate bract with an acute apex; bracts become smaller near the apex of the inflorescence. Flowers white to pale cream, drying yellow, nectar patch absent, 8 – 10 mm long. Calyx scarcely longer than the keel blades; carinal lobe longest, 8 – 9 × 1.5 mm; other lobes 7 mm long; tube 3 – 4 mm long; yellowish green with carinal lobe and veins a darker green, pubescent and glandular outside, finely pubescent on the inner face of teeth. Standard petals 8.0 – 9.5 × 6 – 7 mm, elliptic; nectar guide if present pale cream; claw 2 – 3 m long, auriculate; appendages absent; apex emarginate. Wing petals 7.0 – 10.0 mm, longer than the keel; 9 × 3 mm wide with 3.0 – 3.5 mm long claw, billowy at tip; sculpturing present, upper central comprised of 1 – 2 rows of 13 vertical, irregular, transcostal lamellae. Keel petals 4 – 7 × 2 mm, with 3.0 – 3.5 mm long claw. Androecium sheath 6 mm long, split adaxially; vexillary stamen free. Pistil 4.0 – 6.5 mm log; ovary 1.5 – 2.0 mm long, pubescent; height of curvature of style 1.0 – 1.7 mm, thickened at point of flexure; stigma small, penicillate. Fruits and seeds unknown.	en	Stirton, Charles H., Bello, Abubakar, Muasya, A. Muthama (2025): Nomenclatural notes on the genus Psoralea (Psoraleeae, Fabaceae) in South Africa. Plant Ecology and Evolution 158 (2): 168-180, DOI: 10.5091/plecevo.138728
F536F95EF2CE5BDBBD4E237CEC02CCB7.taxon	distribution	Distribution and habitat Psoralea albidula is restricted to the lower slopes of the mountains stretching from the Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve and Jonkershoek in the south to DuToits Kloof Pass in the north (Fig. 2). It has overlapping distributions in parts of its range with P. obliqua which grows on Table Mountain Sandstone outcrops, usually along the crests of ridges, whereas the P. albidula occurs at lower elevations on more gentle slopes and sandier soils. Spontaneous intermediate hybrids may be found occasionally growing at the edge of rocky outcrops. The hybrids are erect multi-stemmed, up to 60 stems, with lax branching near the apex bearing spreading leaves, inflorescences that are either axillary (3 – 5 flowers) or terminal (up to 25 flowers) or in various combinations. The standard petal is pale mauve with a dark mauve nectar patch (e. g. Stirton 9939). Psoralea albidula is a species of early successional stages in Mesic Mountain Fynbos and occupies the Hawequas Fynbos Sandstone (FFs 10), and Kogelberg Sandstone Fynbos (FFs 11) vegetation types (Mucina and Rutherford 2006) on Table Mountain Sandstone (Fig. 2). Plants tend to be colony-forming. Flowers are visited by small bees.	en	Stirton, Charles H., Bello, Abubakar, Muasya, A. Muthama (2025): Nomenclatural notes on the genus Psoralea (Psoraleeae, Fabaceae) in South Africa. Plant Ecology and Evolution 158 (2): 168-180, DOI: 10.5091/plecevo.138728
F536F95EF2CE5BDBBD4E237CEC02CCB7.taxon	etymology	Etymology The specific epithet albidula is a Latin adjective meaning “ whitish ” that refers to the colour of the flowers.	en	Stirton, Charles H., Bello, Abubakar, Muasya, A. Muthama (2025): Nomenclatural notes on the genus Psoralea (Psoraleeae, Fabaceae) in South Africa. Plant Ecology and Evolution 158 (2): 168-180, DOI: 10.5091/plecevo.138728
F0D360B2F9EE51B08002B7549EB94A71.taxon	description	Fig. 6	en	Stirton, Charles H., Bello, Abubakar, Muasya, A. Muthama (2025): Nomenclatural notes on the genus Psoralea (Psoraleeae, Fabaceae) in South Africa. Plant Ecology and Evolution 158 (2): 168-180, DOI: 10.5091/plecevo.138728
F0D360B2F9EE51B08002B7549EB94A71.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis Psoralea lancifolia belongs to a small group of resprouting unifoliolate leaved species (P. dreweae (C. H. Stirt. & Muasya) C. H. Stirt. and P. thomii Harv.) with racemose inflorescences bearing up to 9 triplets of pedicellate flowers on a peduncle equal to or twice longer than the subtending leaf. This distinctive species is separated from these allied species by the combination of its decumbent habit, thick basal rough woody stems that hug the ground, new terete seasonal shoots commonly black when young with bright yellow pustular glands, oblong inflorescences twice the length of the leaves, white or pale mauve flowers with a purple patch on the upper tip of the keel petals, calyx densely glandular and covered with white patent hairs, calyx teeth blackish, carinal tooth broader and longer than the rest, large white or pale mauve flowers with a purple patch on the upper tip of the keel petals and ovary finely pubescent with forward sloping style.	en	Stirton, Charles H., Bello, Abubakar, Muasya, A. Muthama (2025): Nomenclatural notes on the genus Psoralea (Psoraleeae, Fabaceae) in South Africa. Plant Ecology and Evolution 158 (2): 168-180, DOI: 10.5091/plecevo.138728
F0D360B2F9EE51B08002B7549EB94A71.taxon	description	Description Small, decumbent, sparsely leaved suffrutex up to 0.2 m tall; resprouting after fires. Lignotuber present, rough, and looks like knotted twisted rope. Stems arising from a short, thickened trunk, up to seven, 90 – 150 mm long, occasionally branched in one of the lower axils, basal leaves smallest, densely pustulate. Leaves unifoliolate, petiolate, 25 – 36 × 6 – 9 (– 10) mm, elliptic, glabrous, cuspidate, mucro straight, apex acute, base cuneate, densely black-punctate when dried, margin glandular, younger leaves glabrous, midrib prominent below, secondary veins on both surfaces raised but less prominent; rachis absent; petiole 2 mm long; petiolule 1 mm long. Stipules 3 – 5 × 0.5 – 2 mm, longer than petioles; glabrous, subulate, acuminate, ribbed, glandular. Inflorescences axillary, 1 – 2 in upper axils, terminating short seasonal shoots, oblong, 25 – 35 mm long, comprised of 5 – 9 triplets of flowers with 2 – 4 mm long pedicels, each set subtended by a flabellate to broadly ovate-oblong, gland-dotted hairy bract, bract caducous; peduncle 25 – 35 mm long, about twice the length of the subtending leaf, densely covered in 0.2 mm high warts. Flowers white or pale mauve, 8 – 10 mm long, each subtended by a narrowly lanceolate to linear, 3 mm long, caducous bract. Calyx teeth longer than the 2 – 3 mm long tube, unequal, acute; carinal tooth broadest, 10 – 11 × 2 – 2.5 mm, dark green, rest of calyx pale yellowish green; vexillary lobes falcate, same length as the lateral lobes, fused for 1 – 3 their length above the tube, outer face densely covered in 1.5 – 2 mm long white patent hairs and many small glands, glabrous on inner face. Standard petals 13 × 8 – 9 mm, obovate, but oblong when reflexed; white to pale mauve, auriculate, claw 2 mm long, narrowed. Wing petals 10 – 12 × 3 – 4 mm, claw 3 mm long, cultrate, upcurving relative to keel, auriculate, longer than and very lightly fused to keel petals; sculpturing upper right central, sometimes upper distal, bottom row intracostal, upper two rows transcostal, each row comprised of up to 25 transverse lamellae. Keel petals 9 × 2.5 – 3 mm, claw 4 mm long, purple-tipped. Androecium 8 mm long, vexillary stamen free; fenestrate; anthers equal, 0.3 mm long. Pistil 8 mm long; ovary 1.8 – 2 mm long, tomentose, stipe 1 mm long and glabrous; height of curvature of style 2.5 – 2.8 mm, thickened before flexure; style forward sloping, sparsely hairy up to entasis; stigma slightly penicillate. Fruits and seeds unknown.	en	Stirton, Charles H., Bello, Abubakar, Muasya, A. Muthama (2025): Nomenclatural notes on the genus Psoralea (Psoraleeae, Fabaceae) in South Africa. Plant Ecology and Evolution 158 (2): 168-180, DOI: 10.5091/plecevo.138728
F0D360B2F9EE51B08002B7549EB94A71.taxon	distribution	Distribution and habitat Psoralea lancifolia grows on somewhat clayey stony slopes at the ecotone of sandstone and shale substrates in mesic mountain fynbos at 100 – 1135 m a. s. l. with a northerly or north-westerly aspect on silcrete – shale substrate in well-drained loamy soil. It occupies the Overberg Sandstone Fynbos vegetation type (FFs 12; Mucina and Rutherford 2006). It is endemic to the northern foothills of Shaw’s Mountain and Karwyderskraal (Fig. 2).	en	Stirton, Charles H., Bello, Abubakar, Muasya, A. Muthama (2025): Nomenclatural notes on the genus Psoralea (Psoraleeae, Fabaceae) in South Africa. Plant Ecology and Evolution 158 (2): 168-180, DOI: 10.5091/plecevo.138728
F0D360B2F9EE51B08002B7549EB94A71.taxon	etymology	Etymology The specific epithet lancifolia is a Latin word derived from the Latin words “ lancea ” (“ lance, spear ”) and “ folium ” (“ leaf ”) meaning spear-shaped leaves and alludes to the shape of the leaves. It is also meant to retain the meaning of the original name (i. e. narrow-leaved) which is being replaced.	en	Stirton, Charles H., Bello, Abubakar, Muasya, A. Muthama (2025): Nomenclatural notes on the genus Psoralea (Psoraleeae, Fabaceae) in South Africa. Plant Ecology and Evolution 158 (2): 168-180, DOI: 10.5091/plecevo.138728
E52A03DAE09E50C2977B439B8A809175.taxon	description	Fig. 7	en	Stirton, Charles H., Bello, Abubakar, Muasya, A. Muthama (2025): Nomenclatural notes on the genus Psoralea (Psoraleeae, Fabaceae) in South Africa. Plant Ecology and Evolution 158 (2): 168-180, DOI: 10.5091/plecevo.138728
E52A03DAE09E50C2977B439B8A809175.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis Psoralea psammophila is closest to P. argentea Thunb. Both have white flowers and silvery digitately trifoliolate and petiolate leaves. Psoralea psammophila differs in its sprawling to virgate habit up to 1 m tall with greyish brown finely fissured branches with sparse white lenticels (P. argentea a slender woody shrublet with reddish brown branches and flattened pustules); terminal leaflet (10 –) 13 – 16 (– 22) × 6 – 9 mm (P. argentea 7 – 9 (– 10) × 5 – 6 mm); stipules sericeous, narrowly triangular, densely glandular (P. argentea densely hairy, subulate, glandular at base); inflorescences axillary in upper axils of short shoots, pseudo-capitate, 15 – 25 mm long, comprised of 6 – 7 triplets of flowers borne on short 1 mm long pedicels (P. argentea arising from the terminal axil of a 5 – 12 cm long shoot comprised of 3 – 4 triplets borne of 1.0 – 1.5 pedicels); subtending bract of the flower triplets obovate with an acute apex (P. argentea the subtending bract broadly ovate and acuminate); flowers 8 – 10 mm long (P. argentea flowers 7.0 – 7.5 mm long); calyx teeth as long as the tube, triangular, hoary (P. argentea calyx teeth shorter than the tube, falcate, sericeous).	en	Stirton, Charles H., Bello, Abubakar, Muasya, A. Muthama (2025): Nomenclatural notes on the genus Psoralea (Psoraleeae, Fabaceae) in South Africa. Plant Ecology and Evolution 158 (2): 168-180, DOI: 10.5091/plecevo.138728
E52A03DAE09E50C2977B439B8A809175.taxon	description	Description Sprawling to virgate shrublet up to 1 m tall. Stems much branched towards the base; branches greyish brown, finely fissured and sparsely covered in white lenticels; young twigs and flowering shoots pustulate and hoary. Leaves digitately trifoliolate, petiolate. Leaflets unequal, terminal leaflet (10 –) 13 – 16 (– 22) × 6 – 9 mm, obovate, hoary; scarcely mucronate, mucro patent, apex rounded to emarginate, base cuneate; laterals smaller than the terminal leaflet, symmetrical; petiole 3 mm long, petiolule <1 mm long. Stipules 1.5 – 3 mm long, narrowly triangular, densely glandular, straight, apex acute; glabrous inside, sericeous outside, persistent. Inflorescences axillary in terminal axils of short shoots, pseudocapitate, 15 – 25 mm long, comprised of 6 – 7 triplets of flowers borne on short 1 mm long pedicels; each set subtended by a single persistent short 1 – 2 mm long obovate bract with acute apex; peduncle 5 – 15 mm long, exceeding the subtending leaf. Flowers 8 – 10 mm long, white, ebracteate. Calyx teeth as long as the 3 mm long tube, equal, triangular; lobes 6 × 1.0 – 1.5 mm, vexillary lobes fused up to two-thirds their lengths; hoary, scarcely to sparsely gland-dotted. Standard petals 8 – 9 × 6.0 – 7.0 mm, claw 2 mm long; broadly elliptic, distinctly auriculate, apex emarginate. Wing petals 7 – 8 × 2.0 – 2.5 mm, longer than keel petal, claw 3 mm long, distinctly auriculate, sculpturing upper basal and upper central, more pronounced in the upper right central region, transcostal, lamellate, up to 35 curving lamellae in a single row. Keel petals 6 – 7 × 2.5 mm; claw 3 mm long. Androecium 7 – 8 mm long, vexillary stamen free. Pistil 7 – 8 mm long; ovary 2.5 – 3.0 mm long, pubescent, glandular, sessile; height of curvature 2 mm, style thickened maximally just before flexure, stigma penicillate. Fruits and seeds unknown.	en	Stirton, Charles H., Bello, Abubakar, Muasya, A. Muthama (2025): Nomenclatural notes on the genus Psoralea (Psoraleeae, Fabaceae) in South Africa. Plant Ecology and Evolution 158 (2): 168-180, DOI: 10.5091/plecevo.138728
E52A03DAE09E50C2977B439B8A809175.taxon	distribution	Distribution and habitat Psoralea psammophila is restricted to the region between Vredendal and Lutzville to Lamberts Bay (Fig. 2). It occurs in West Coast Sandveld (Veld Type 34; Acocks 1975) and more precisely in the critical endangered Klawer Sandy Shrubland vegetation type (SKs 13; Mucina and Rutherford 2006; Government Gazette 2022). It occurs between 80 – 120 m a. s. l. and prefers calcareous sandy soils.	en	Stirton, Charles H., Bello, Abubakar, Muasya, A. Muthama (2025): Nomenclatural notes on the genus Psoralea (Psoraleeae, Fabaceae) in South Africa. Plant Ecology and Evolution 158 (2): 168-180, DOI: 10.5091/plecevo.138728
E52A03DAE09E50C2977B439B8A809175.taxon	etymology	Etymology The specific epithet psammophilus is derived from the Ancient Greek words ψάμμος (psámmos, “ sand ”) and φίλος (phílos, “ dear, beloved ”) and is generally translated as sand loving and refers to the fact that this species prefers and thrives in sandy soils.	en	Stirton, Charles H., Bello, Abubakar, Muasya, A. Muthama (2025): Nomenclatural notes on the genus Psoralea (Psoraleeae, Fabaceae) in South Africa. Plant Ecology and Evolution 158 (2): 168-180, DOI: 10.5091/plecevo.138728
4640F9A024D753DBB200134AF22B3CF5.taxon	description	Fig. 3	en	Stirton, Charles H., Bello, Abubakar, Muasya, A. Muthama (2025): Nomenclatural notes on the genus Psoralea (Psoraleeae, Fabaceae) in South Africa. Plant Ecology and Evolution 158 (2): 168-180, DOI: 10.5091/plecevo.138728
4640F9A024D753DBB200134AF22B3CF5.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis Psoralea purpurascens is most closely related to P. stachyera. P. purpurascens is a straggling shrub up to 2 m tall (P. stachyera a larger, virgate, and laxly branched up to 3 m tall, sometimes tree-like); hairs on young leaflets restricted to the margins and adaxial vein, and glands are larger and more raised (P. stachyera hairier all over becoming glabrescent, glands smaller); standard petals with scarcely reflexed sides and mostly purple with a large white nectar patch fringed with a broad deep purple halo with purple streaks (P. stachyera with standard petals pink with deep violet-pink nectar patches, sides reflexed).	en	Stirton, Charles H., Bello, Abubakar, Muasya, A. Muthama (2025): Nomenclatural notes on the genus Psoralea (Psoraleeae, Fabaceae) in South Africa. Plant Ecology and Evolution 158 (2): 168-180, DOI: 10.5091/plecevo.138728
4640F9A024D753DBB200134AF22B3CF5.taxon	description	Description Straggling shrub up to 2 m tall, regenerating from seed after fire episodes. Stems tan with storied lenticels. Branches appressed white pubescent in young shoots, hairs pointing towards apex. Leaves digitately trifoliolate, partly conduplicate, stipulate, shortly petiolate. Leaflets subequal, terminal 19 – 25 × 9 – 10 mm, sometimes much reduced and smaller on seasonal shoots, especially towards the terminal inflorescence, laterals somewhat smaller; symmetrical, apex emarginate, mucro sharp, arching to recurved, 1 mm long, base cuneate, obovate; glands black and crateriform when dry appearing pitted on lower surface, more or less equal, numerous, about the same number on each surface; young leaflets hairy on midrib and margins, persisting in mature leaflets only on the midrib; petiole 2 – 3 mm long, petiolules 1 – 2 mm long. Stipules 3 – 5 × 2 mm, clasping, subulate, sparsely hairy, persistent, very glandular. Inflorescences terminal on 4 – 5 cm long, densely leafy, seasonal shoots; 20 – 30 mm long, elongating during anthesis, each comprised of 15 – 20 triplets of 3 – 5 mm pedicellate flowers; triplet bracts 4 × 2 mm, broadly lanceolate, 7 – 8 - veined, becoming narrower and longer up the inflorescence, apex apiculate. Flowers 6 – 7 mm long, purple, pedicel 1 – 2 mm long. Calyx 4 – 6 mm long, glandular, tube 3 mm long, white-haired, lobes unequal, teeth lanceolate, acute, ciliate, glabrous on inner surface, carinal lobe longest 5 – 6 × 1.5 mm, other teeth equal, shorter and narrower. Standard petals 6 × 4 – 6 mm, purple, with a broad white nectar guide surrounded by an arc of purple, and suffused with purple streaks, narrowly obovate, appendages and auricles hardly developed, blade narrowed into a short-channelled claw. Wing petals 6 – 7 × 2 mm, longer than keel, cultrate with terminal end of blade expanded; claw straight, 3 mm long; sculpturing upper mid comprised of 10 – 12 transcostal lamellae. Keel petals 4 × 1.5 mm wide, obtuse, convex; claw 4 mm long. Androecium 7 mm long, 10 th stamen free, fenestrate. Pistil 4 mm long; ovary 1.5 mm long, ellipsoid, glabrous, 1 - ovulate; style 4 mm long, filiform, thickened before flexure, glabrous; height of curvature 1 mm, stigma small, capitate. Fruits and seeds unknown.	en	Stirton, Charles H., Bello, Abubakar, Muasya, A. Muthama (2025): Nomenclatural notes on the genus Psoralea (Psoraleeae, Fabaceae) in South Africa. Plant Ecology and Evolution 158 (2): 168-180, DOI: 10.5091/plecevo.138728
4640F9A024D753DBB200134AF22B3CF5.taxon	distribution	Distribution and habitat Psoralea purpurascens is distributed mainly in the Eastern Cape Province from Makhanda (Grahamstown) eastwards along the Great Escarpment (Fig. 2) with an outlier in KwaZulu-Natal Province. It favours grassland on rocky slopes overlying Gabbro Formation sandstone and Witteberg quartzite, and occurs across a broad range of grassveld, thornveld, and thicket vegetation types: Ngongoni Veld (SVs 4), Amathole Montane Grassland (GD 1), Drakensberg Foothills Moist Grassland (Gs 10), Midlands Mistbelt Grassland (GS 9), Umtatha Moist Grassland (Gs 14), Bisho Thornveld (SVf 7), Eastern Cape Escarpment Thicket (AT 13), Great Fish Thicket (AT 11), Buffels Thicket (AT 12), Northern Coastal Forest margins (( FOz 7), and one fynbos outlier on Suurberg Quartzite Fynbos (FFq 7) (Mucina and Rutherforld 2006). The species favours southern and western aspects at 875 – 1500 m a. s. l. It is likely that this species will be found to be more common and widespread than is currently known as the central section of its range is a poorly explored mountain escarpment system. It is geographically separated from P. stachyera which is primarily coastal extending to the southern slopes of the first range of mountains stretching from Mossel Bay eastwards to the Mbashe River mouth.	en	Stirton, Charles H., Bello, Abubakar, Muasya, A. Muthama (2025): Nomenclatural notes on the genus Psoralea (Psoraleeae, Fabaceae) in South Africa. Plant Ecology and Evolution 158 (2): 168-180, DOI: 10.5091/plecevo.138728
4640F9A024D753DBB200134AF22B3CF5.taxon	etymology	Etymology The specific epithet purpurascens is a Latin word meaning purple and refers to the dominant colour of the standard petal of the flowers.	en	Stirton, Charles H., Bello, Abubakar, Muasya, A. Muthama (2025): Nomenclatural notes on the genus Psoralea (Psoraleeae, Fabaceae) in South Africa. Plant Ecology and Evolution 158 (2): 168-180, DOI: 10.5091/plecevo.138728
A16F62619196501AA240D0C70BCE1321.taxon	description	Fig. 4	en	Stirton, Charles H., Bello, Abubakar, Muasya, A. Muthama (2025): Nomenclatural notes on the genus Psoralea (Psoraleeae, Fabaceae) in South Africa. Plant Ecology and Evolution 158 (2): 168-180, DOI: 10.5091/plecevo.138728
A16F62619196501AA240D0C70BCE1321.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis Psoralea reticulata is closest to P. heterosepala Fourc. and is a small rounded compact shrub up to 0.6 m tall with sparsely appressed hairy to glabrate, glandular and blackish shoots (P. heterosepala an erect virgate shrub 1.8 – 2.5 m tall with virgate, puberulous shoots); stipules broadly triangular, 1.5 – 1.7 mm long, fused for the length of the petiole and adnate to it (P. heterosepala stipules triangular, 2 – 3 mm long, scarious, striate not fused to petiole); standard petals 5.0 – 5.5 mm long, very broadly ovate, scarcely auriculate (P. heterosepala with standard petals 6.0 – 6.5 mm long, broadly elliptic; auriculate); calyx with dark green teeth, tube paler green with dark green veins (P. heterosepala calyx teeth and tube yellowish green, veins hyaline).	en	Stirton, Charles H., Bello, Abubakar, Muasya, A. Muthama (2025): Nomenclatural notes on the genus Psoralea (Psoraleeae, Fabaceae) in South Africa. Plant Ecology and Evolution 158 (2): 168-180, DOI: 10.5091/plecevo.138728
A16F62619196501AA240D0C70BCE1321.taxon	description	Description Small, erect, deciduous, much branched decumbent reseeding shrub. Stems small, rounded, compact, up to 0.6 m tall. Branchlets terete, slender, sparsely appressed hairy, glabrate, glandular and blackish. Leaves digitately trifoliolate, shortly petiolate, shiny. Leaflets 8 – 12 × 1.5 – 2.0 mm, terminal leaflet somewhat longer; very narrowly obovate to oblong, laterals asymmetrical, semi-conduplicate, subsessile to petiolate, base cuneate, apex recurved mucronate, glands not clearly visible, hyaline. Stipules 1.5 – 1.7 mm long, fused for the length of the petiole and adnate to it, broadly triangular, patent but recurving with maturity, prominently veined, mostly glabrous but with a ciliate margin, persistent. Inflorescences borne on short shoots, axillary, comprising a single triplet of flowers subtended by a 3.5 – 3.7 × 1.5 – 1.8 mm pandurate and ciliate bract prominently veined and with irregular apex; the common 1 – 2 mm long peduncle has a solitary 1.7 mm long, narrowly falcate bract inserted just below the common flower bract. Flowers 7 – 8 mm long; pedicel 2.0 – 2.3 mm long. Calyx equal to or longer than the corolla, 8 – 9 mm long; lateral and vexillary lobes more or less equal but shorter and much narrower than the very acuminate broadly lanceolate keel lobe; vexillary teeth 1.0 – 1.5 mm wide, fused slightly above the tube; sparsely pubescent, margins appressed pubescent; veins raised, very prominent. Standard petals 5.0 – 5.5 × 4 mm, very broadly ovate, scarcely auriculate, appendages absent; mauve to purple with a largish violet nectar guide and purple netlike veins; claw 1.5 – 2.0 mm long. Wing petals longer than keel, 6 × 1.5 – 2.0 mm, auriculate; sculpturing present, upper basal and upper central comprised of up to 20 parallel, transcostal lamellae, rows indistinct. Keel petals 4.3 – 4.5 × 1.3 – 1.6 mm, blade bulging, apex rounded; claw 2 mm long. Androecium 3.6 – 3.7 mm long, sheath split adaxially, tenth stamen free. Pistil 4 mm long; ovary 1 mm long, glabrous, gynophore absent; height of curvature 1.3 mm; style glabrous, 0.3 mm thick at point of flexure; stigma prominent, capitate, penicillate. Fruits 4.5 × 3 mm, beaked; papery, reticulate. Seeds 2.6 – 2.7 × 2.3 – 2.5 mm, 1.5 mm thick; dark brown; hilum 0.5 mm long, flushed, very broadly ovate, rim aril present; micropyle deltoid, free from hilum.	en	Stirton, Charles H., Bello, Abubakar, Muasya, A. Muthama (2025): Nomenclatural notes on the genus Psoralea (Psoraleeae, Fabaceae) in South Africa. Plant Ecology and Evolution 158 (2): 168-180, DOI: 10.5091/plecevo.138728
A16F62619196501AA240D0C70BCE1321.taxon	distribution	Distribution and habitat Psoralea reticulata has been collected only six times and little is known about its biology. It occurs on the Kouga and Baviaanskloof mountains (Fig. 2) in Kouga Sandstone Fynbos (FFs 27; Mucina and Rutherford 2006). We owe its modern rediscovery to the late Elsie Esterhuysen (1912 – 2006), a renowned plant collector, who traversed the species rich Cape Mountains for so many years with so much success. The discovery of P. reticulata stresses yet again the poor state of collecting along the inland mountains east of Uitenhage and north of the Keurbooms River.	en	Stirton, Charles H., Bello, Abubakar, Muasya, A. Muthama (2025): Nomenclatural notes on the genus Psoralea (Psoraleeae, Fabaceae) in South Africa. Plant Ecology and Evolution 158 (2): 168-180, DOI: 10.5091/plecevo.138728
A16F62619196501AA240D0C70BCE1321.taxon	etymology	Etymology The specific epithet reticulata is a Latin adjective that refers to the large highly reticulately-veined carinal lobe of the calyx.	en	Stirton, Charles H., Bello, Abubakar, Muasya, A. Muthama (2025): Nomenclatural notes on the genus Psoralea (Psoraleeae, Fabaceae) in South Africa. Plant Ecology and Evolution 158 (2): 168-180, DOI: 10.5091/plecevo.138728
