ALYSICARPUS

Alysicarpus Necker ex Desvaux, J. Bot. Agric. 1: 120. 1813; Baker in Hook. f. Fl. Brit. Ind. 2: 157. 1876; Ali, Biologia 12: 31. 1966; Fl. Pak. @ eFloras.org p.341; Fl. China @ eFloras.org 10: 290.

Herbs, annual or perennial. Stems erect or diffuse, branched. Leaves 1-foliate, stipulate and stipellate; stipules scarious or nearly leathery, free or connate. Racemes axillary or terminal. Flowers bisexual, zygomorphic, 5-merous, perigynous, small, mostly ca. 5 mm, usually binate at each node of rachis; bracts scarious, early deciduous. Calyx 4-lobed; lobes dry, rigid, nearly equal, upper lobe 2-toothed at apex. Corolla not or slightly longer than calyx; vexillum broad, obovate or nearly orbicular; keel obtuse, adherent to wings. Stamens diadelphous (9+1); anthers uniform. Monocarpellary, ovary sessile or nearly so, many-ovuled, placentation marginal; style linear, incurved; stigma capitate. Legume cylindric, swollen, many-jointed, 1-seeded per article, indehiscent.

37 species

Alysicarpus vaginalis

Alysicarpus vaginalis (L.) DC., Prodr. 2: 353. 1825; Baker in Hook. f. Fl. Brit. Ind. 2: 158. 1879; Collett, Fl. Siml. ed. 2. 130. 1921 (Reprint 1980); Sharma and Kachroo, Fl. Jammu (Illustr.) 2: t. 75. 1983; Kaur and Sharma, Fl. Sirmaur 237. 2004; Singh and Sharma, Fl. Chamba Dist. 255. 2006; Fl. China @ eFloras.org 10: 290; Hedysarum vaginale L., Sp. Pl. 746. 1753.

Annual herbs, stem erect or procumbent, 30-90 cm tall, branched near base, glabrous or pubescent. Stipules 5-6 mm long, lanceolate, acute, scarious, free. Leaves 1-foliate; petiole 4-5(-14) mm long, glabrous or pubescent, leaf blades variable, 1-3 cm x 1 cm on lower stem and up to 6.5 cm x 1-2 cm on upper stem; leaf blade often ovate-oblong or oblong-lanceolate to lanceolate, elliptic, cordate or nearly orbicular, glabrous except on nerves beneath, lateral nerves 4-5 pairs, reticulate veinlets prominent on both surfaces. Racemes axillary or terminal, 1.5-7 cm long, laxly flowered bearing 6-12 flowers, binate (in pairs) at each node, internodes 2-5 mm. Bracts scarious, ovate with acuminate apex. Flowers bisexual, zygomorphic, 5-merous, perigynous, 4-5 mm long, red, reddish purple or purplish blue. Pedicel 1.5-2 mm, pubescent. Calyx 5, fused, 3-4 mm long, 5-toothed, 2 upper lobes nearly fused excepting apex, teeth linear, acute, pubescent without. Corolla 5, papilionaceous, red, reddish purple or purplish blue, 6-7 mm long; vexillum broad, obovate (or nearly orbicular), apex emarginate; keel obtuse adherent to wings. Stamens 10, diadelphous (9+1), vexillary stamen free, staminal tube 6-7 mm long, anthers uniform. Ovary nearly sessile, 4-4.5 mm long, oblong, pubescent or villous, unilocular, 4-8-ovuled, placentation marginal; style 3-4 mm long, linear, incurved; stigma capitate. Legumes binate, cylindric, 1.5-2.5 cm x 2-2.5 mm, pubescent, 4-8 jointed. Seeds ellipsoidal or oblong, slightly compressed, 2 mm x 1 mm, glabrous.

Flowering and Fruiting: August to September
Common Names: Alyce Clover, Buffalo Clover, Buffalo-bur, One-leaf Clover, and White Moneywort