CAJANUS

Cajanus Adans., Catal. Hort. Bot. Monspel. 85. 1813; Baker in Hook.f., Fl. Brit. Ind. 2: 217. 1876; Fl. Pak @ eFloras.org p. 218; Cajanus Adanson, Fam. Pl. 2: 326,529. 1763; Ren and Gilbert, Fl. China @ eFloras.org 10: 230.

Erect shrubs, subshrubs, woody or herbaceous vines. Leaves pinnately or digitately 3-foliate, stipules and stipels small or absent; leaflets abaxially usually with sessile glands. Inflorescence raceme, axillary or terminal. Flowers bisexual, zygomorphic, 5-merous, perigynous. Bracts deciduous; bracteoles absent. Calyx campanulate, 5-lobed; lobes short, upper 2 connate or slightly lobed at apex. Corolla 5, papilionaceous; vexillum almost circular, obovate or obovate-elliptic, base clawed, with inflexed auricles; wings narrowly to broadly elliptic, auriculate; keels obliquely circular, apex obtuse. Stamens 10, diadelphous (9+1); vexillary stamen free; anthers uniform. Monocarpellary, ovary almost sessile, unilocular, ovules 2-10, placentation marginal; styles long, linear, apex curved, upper part glabrous or slightly hairy; stigma small, capitate. Legumes linear-oblong, compressed, dehiscent. Seeds 2-10, reniform to almost orbicular, colourful or blotched; strophiole obvious or absent.

34 species

Cajanus cajan

Cajanus cajan (L.) Huth., Helios. 11: 133. 1893; Fl. China @ eFloras.org 10: 231; Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp., Field Column. Mus., Bot. See. 2(1): 53. 1900; Verdcourt in Milne-Redhead & Polhill, Fl. Trop. E. Afr. (Leguminosae 4): 709. 1971; Fl. Pak. @ eFloras.org p. 218; C. indicus Spreng., Syst. Veg. 3: 248. 1826; Baker in Hook. f., Fl. Brit. Ind. 2: 217. 1879; Parker, For. Fl. Punj. ed. 1: 171. 1918 (Reprint 1973); ed. 3. 171. 1956; Cytisus cajan L., Sp. Pl. 2: 739. 1753.

Shrubs, erect, 1-3 m tall. Branchlets grey pubescent. Leaves pinnately 3-foliate; stipules small, ovate-lanceolate, 0.2-3 mm; petiole 1.5-5 cm, sparsely pubescent, with adaxial groove; stipels extremely small; petiolules 1-5 mm, hairy; leaflet blades lanceolate to elliptic, 2.8-10 cm x 0.5-3.5 cm, abaxial surface densely pubescent and with inconspicuous yellow glands, adaxial surface pubescent, apex acute or acuminate. Pedicels 1-1.7 cm long, pubescent. Inflorescence panicle raceme, axillary or terminal, 3.7 cm; peduncle 2-7 cm, few flowers, terminal or almost terminal; flowers bisexual, zygomorphic, 5-merous, perigynous; bracts ca. 8 mm long; ovate-elliptic. Sepals 5, fused, calyx campanulate; tube ca. 5 mm long; lobes 4-7 mm long, triangular or lanceolate, velvety pubescent and glandular. Corolla 5, papilionaceous, about 3x calyx in length; vexillum bright yellow with reddish brown or crimson lines; 1.2-1.7 cm in diameter, suborbicular, with inflexed auricles; wings slightly obovate, with short auricles; keel apex obtuse, slightly inflexed. Stamens 10, diadelphous (9+1), vexillary stamen free; anthers uniform. Ovary hairy, unilocular with several ovules, placentation marginal; style long, linear, glabrous; stigma capitate. Legumes linear-oblong, +/- inflated, 4-8.5 x 0.6-1.2 cm, pubescent and glandular, apex beaked, acuminate. Seeds 3-6, grey, sometimes with brown spots, subspherical, ca. 5 mm in diameter, slightly compressed; strophiole absent.

Flowering and Fruiting: January to November
Common Names: Pigeon Pea, Congo Pea, No Eye Pea, Red gram; Tuvar, Tur Dal, Dinger, Arhar Dal (Hindi)