Indigofera prostrata Willd. (1803: 1226)

Chauhan, Vibha & Pandey, Arun K., 2015, A revision of trifoliolate Indigofera (Tribe Indigofereae: Fabaceae) in India, Phytotaxa 220 (1), pp. 1-29 : 19-20

6. Indigofera prostrata Willd. (1803: 1226) . Fig. 8 .

Type:— Ind. Or., Herb. Willdenow-13888 (B-WILLD, photo!).

Herb, up to 30 cm high; roots much branched, covered with nodules; branches slender, prostrate to ascending, biramous hairs grey adpressed with equal arms. Leaves digitately trifoliolate; stipules c. 1.5 x 1 mm, narrowly triangular, adherent at base; petioles 5–8 mm long, canaliculate above, pubescent; stipellae absent; petiolules c. 1 mm long; leaflets 10–18 x 5–9.5 mm, obovate or oblanceolate, sometimes elliptic, adpressed pubescent on both surfaces, brown gland-dotted beneath. Racemes 3–5 mm long, axillary, sessile, globose; rachis pubescent, gland-dotted, 4–10-flowered. Flowers pink, c. 3 mm long; bracts ca 1 mm, triangular, caducous; pedicels c. 1 mm long. Calyx adpressed pubescent outside, cup c. 0.5 mm long, teeth c. 1.5 mm long, narrowly triangular. Standard c. 3 x 2 mm, elliptic, sometimes obovate, adpressed hairy and copiously gland-dotted on the back; wing petals c. 2.5 x 1 mm, glabrous; keel petals c. 2.5 x 1.5 mm, adpressed hairy and copiously gland-dotted on the back, lateral spur c. 0.8 mm long. Staminal sheath c. 2.5 mm long; anthers c. 0.5 mm long. Ovary c. 2 mm long, linear, glabrous, up to 8-ovuled; style c. 1 mm long, glabrous, beset with glands at the base. Pods 15–20 x 1–1.5 mm, descending, straight, filiform, subcylindric, torulose, shortly apiculate, 5–8-seeded, sutures obscurely winged, sparsely adpressed pubescent and glanduliferous towards the tip. Seeds 1–1.5 x 0.8 mm, rounded al both ends, shiny, brown.

Phenology:— Fls. August–January; Frts. September–January

Distribution:— INDIA: Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa and Tamil Nadu; endemic.

Habitat:— Cultivated fields, wastelands, grasslands between 50 and 1300 m.

Specimen examined:— Andhra Pradesh: Kurnool Dist., Nallamalais, way to Velgode , 650 m, 27 October 1964, J. L. Ellis 22225 ( BSI) ; Goa: Agnidev Island , 24 September 1965, J. Cherian 106629 ; Waddem , 18 October 2011, Chauhan & Pandey 1452 ( DUH) ; Himachal Pradesh: Urla to Drang , 1978m, 26 August 1977, S. K. Murti & R. Prasad 62064 ; Sundernagar , 1000m, 29 August 1977, S. K. Murti & R. Prasad 62187 ; Sirmaur Dist., Kakog , 15 September 2012, Chauhan & Pandey 5035 ( DUH) ; Karnataka: Uttara Kannada Dist. (‘ North Canara’ Dist.,), Yellapur , 30 October 1882, W. A. Talbot 31 ; Belgaum Dist., Ukkad forest , 27 October 1970, B. K. Vijay Kumar 1287 ( MH) ; Kerala: Palghat Dist., Mukkali forest , 200 m, 18 October 1965, E. Vajravelu 26291 ; Madhya Pradesh: Panchmarhi , 1000m, September 1975, Santosh Verma s.n .; Maharashtra: Satara Dist., Wai to Panchgani Road , between 7th and 8th Km point, 24 October 1982, M. Sanjappa 9518 ; Kolhapur Dist., Konkan , 12 October 2011, Chauhan & Pandey 1423 ( DUH) ; Kolhapur Dist., Borebat , 12 October 2011, Chauhan & Pandey 1421 ( DUH) ; Orissa: Sundargarh Dist., Mandira crop field, 14 September 1988, A. Mukherjee & D. Namhata MN3853 ; Tamil Nadu: Ramnathapuram Dist., Pranmalai, Thiruppathur , 225m, 29 November 1977, N. C. Nair 52913 ( CAL) ; Coimbatote Dist., Hill top of Madukkarai , 450m, 26 September 1962, C. P. Sreemadhavan CPS 190 ( MH) ; Coimbatore Dist., Mount Stouert , 600m, 27 October 1961, J. Joseph 13348 ( MH) .

Figures

FIGURE 8. Indigofera prostrata. A. Habit, B. Trifoliolate leaf, C. Calyx, D. Standard petal, E.,F. Wing petals, G. Keel, H. Pod, I. Seeds. (Based on: Chauhan & Pandey 1452 DUH). Drawn by V. Chauhan.