Pleurolobus salicifolius (Poir.) H. Ohashi & K. Ohashi
var. salicifolius

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Pleurolobus salicifolius var. salicifolius

Photo: Jo Bogaerts
Near Nata

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Synonyms:	Desmodium paleaceum Guill. & Perr. Desmodium salicifolium (Poir.) DC. Hedysarum salicifolium Poir.
Common names:
Frequency:
Status:	Native
Description:	Erect somewhat woody shrubby herb up to 3.5 m tall. Stems hairy. Leaves 3-foliolate; leaflets oblong-elliptic to ovate-lanceolate or lanceolate, 3–17.5 cm long, hairless on upper surface except for the midrib, appressed-hairy on the main veins beneath; petiole up to 6 cm long, sometimes rather thick and channelled; stipules ovate-lanceolate, 7–18 mm long, ciliate, persistent. Inflorescences terminal, fairly lax in this variety, 9–30 cm long, finely hairy; peduncle 10–25 mm long; pedicels 2.5–4.5 mm long. Calyx with tube 1 mm long; lobes 1.5–2 mm long, triangular, finely hairy. Standard pinkish-purple becoming blue, or white, yellow or greenish-yellow, obovate, 6.5 mm long; wings pink, purple or yellow-green, mauve at apex, keel pink or yellowish-green. Fruits 3–4.5 cm long, consisting of 3–7 oblong, only slightly constricted articles, each 4.5–8.5 mm long, distinctly thickened at the margins, finely hairy and with raised veining when mature.
Notes:	This species is very similar to Pseudarthria hookeri.
Derivation of specific name:	salicifolium: leaves like a willow (Salix sp.)
Habitat:	In Brachystegia woodland and mixed deciduous woodland, particularly by rivers and lakes, in floodplain grassland or papyrus swamps, sometimes on muddy soils by open water, also in swamp forest and evergreen forest.
Altitude range:	480 - 1680 m
Flowering time:
Worldwide distribution:	Widespread in tropical Africa, Madagascar and the Mascarene Islands.
Malawi distribution:	N,C,S
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Content last updated:	Tuesday 5 January 2021
Literature:	Baumann, G. (2005). Photographic Guide to Wildflowers of Malawi Wildlife and Environmental Society of Malawi Pages 34 - 35. as Desmodium salicifolium (Includes a picture). Burrows, J.E. & Willis, C.K. (eds) (2005). Plants of the Nyika Plateau Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 31 SABONET, Pretoria Page 157. as Desmodium salicifolium Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 20. as Desmodium salicifolium densiflorum Da Silva, M.C., Izidine, S. & Amude, A.B. (2004). A preliminary checklist of the vascular plants of Mozambique. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 30 Sabonet, Pretoria Page 67. as Desmodium salicifolium salicifolium Drummond, R.B. (1972). A list of Rhodesian Legumes. Kirkia 8(2) Page 219. as Desmodium salicifolium Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 47. as Desmodium salicifolium Ohashi, H. & Ohashi, K. (2019). Desmodium (Leguminosae Tribe Desmodieae) of Africa, Madagascar and the Mascarene Islands Journal of Japanese Botany 94(3) Page 145. as Desmodium salicifolium salicifolium Phiri, P.S.M. (2005). A Checklist of Zambian Vascular Plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 32 Page 59. as Desmodium salicifolium salicifolium Pooley, E. (1998). A Field Guide to the Wild Flowers of KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Region. Natal Flora Publications Trust. Durban. Pages 150 - 151. as Desmodium salicifolium (Includes a picture). Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 64. as Desmodium salicifolium Strugnell, A.M. (2006). A Checklist of the Spermatophytes of Mount Mulanje, Malawi Scripta Botanica Belgica 34 National Botanic Garden of Belgium Page 98. as Desmodium salicifolium Timberlake, J.R. & Childes, S.L. (2004). Biodiversity of the Four Corners Area: Technical Reviews Volume Two (Chapter 5-15) Appendix 5-1: Plant Checklist Occasional Publications in Biodiversity 15 Page 211. as Desmodium salicifolium Verdcourt, B. (2000). Papilionoideae Flora Zambesiaca 3(6) Pages 5 - 19. as Desmodium salicifolium (Includes a picture).

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Flora of Botswana: Pleurolobus salicifolius var. salicifolius
Flora of Burundi: Pleurolobus salicifolius var. salicifolius
Flora of Caprivi: Pleurolobus salicifolius var. salicifolius
Flora of Mozambique: Pleurolobus salicifolius var. salicifolius
Flora of Zambia: Pleurolobus salicifolius var. salicifolius
Flora of Zimbabwe: Pleurolobus salicifolius var. salicifolius

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Pleurolobus salicifolius
African Plant Database: Pleurolobus salicifolius
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Pleurolobus salicifolius
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Pleurolobus salicifolius
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Pleurolobus salicifolius
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IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Pleurolobus salicifolius
JSTOR Plant Science: Pleurolobus salicifolius
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Pleurolobus salicifolius
Plants of the World Online: Pleurolobus salicifolius
Tropicos: Pleurolobus salicifolius
Wikipedia: Pleurolobus salicifolius