Description:
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Tall perennial herb, up to 1.8 m tall. Stems with short, rough hairs. Leaves imparipinnate with 5-9 leaflets (lowermost leaves often 1-3-foliolate); leaflets narrowly lanceolate, 7-25 cm long (lowermost smaller), often variegated, shiny and hairless above, rough hairy below; margins entire. Inflorescence a long terminal densely many-flowered spike-like raceme, up to 55 cm long, covered in long whitish hairs. Flowers pink, bluish or reddish. Fruit 5-9 mm long, folded into 3-6 segments, brown to black, turning greyish-white when old. |
Literature:
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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 52.
Verdcourt, B. (2000). Papilionoideae Flora Zambesiaca 3(6) Pages 34 - 35. (Includes a picture).
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