Rhynchosia Lour., Fl. Cochinch. 425, 460.1790; Baker in Hook. f., Fl. Brit. Ind. 2: 220. 1879; Cooke, Fl. Bomb. Pres. (Reprint ed.); 1: 412. 1958; Parker, For. Fl. Punj. ed. 1:163.1918 (Reprint 1973); 3rd. ed. 163. 1956; Sa & Gilbert, Fl. China @ eFloras.org 10: 223; Fl. Pak. @ eFloras.org p. 226.

Twining or prostrate herbs or undershrubs, rarely erect shrubs. Leaves pinnately trifoliate, leaflets nearly equal, entire, dotted beneath with resinous glands; stipules ovate or lanceolate; stipels persistent or absent. Flowers bisexual, zygomorphic, 5-merous, perigynous, usually yellow, in axillary racemes, sometimes branched or solitary in leaf axils. Bracts caducous. Bracteoles absent. Calyx campanulate, tube short, two upper teeth more or less connate. Corolla generally larger than calyx; vexillum obovate or orbicular with inflexed auricles at base; wings and keel nearly equal; wings narrow; keel incurved at the tip, obtuse. Stamens 10, diadelphous (9+1), vexillary stamen free; anthers uniform. Monocarpellary, ovary sessile or subsessile, unilocular with 2 ovules, rarely 1, placentation marginal; style long, filiform, incurved; stigma small, capitate. Seeds 2, rarely 1, strophiole conspicuous, rarely absent.

260 species

Rhynchosia capitata (Heyne ex Roth) DC., Prodr. 2: 386. 1825; Fl. Pak. @ eFloras.org p. 227; Glycine capitata Heyne ex Roth, Nov.Sp. 346. 1821; Nomisia capitata (Heyne ex Roth) Wight. and Arn., Prodr. Pen. Ind. Or. 237. 1834.

Prostate or twiner; stem pilose, branched. Stipules 1.5-3.5 mm long, cordate, acute, pilose. Leaves pinnately trifoliate. Petiole 2.5-12.5 cm long, pilose, adaxially channelled, base pulvinate. Petiolules ca. 3 mm long (1.5 cm long of terminal leaflet), pilose. Leaflet blade 1.8-4.0 cm x 1.5-4.1 cm, rhomboid, sometimes oblique, entire, acute, base cuneate or rounded, scantily pubescent; leaflets with sessile yellow gland abaxially. Stipels small, 0.5 mm long, linear. Inflorescence axillary umbellate, 4-6-flowered. Peduncle 0.5-3.5 cm long, pilose. Flowers bisexual, zygomorphic, 5-merous, perigynous, ca. 1.2 cm long; bracts ca. 2.5 cm long, cordate, pilose; pedicels 3-5 mm long, pilose, reddish-brown. Calyx 9-13 mm long, pilose, 5-toothed; calyx tube 3-4 mm long; lower tooth longest, 7-9 mm long, others ca. 5 mm long; teeth linear or linear-lanceolate. Corolla papilionaceous; vexillum 10-12 mm x 4 mm, circular or obovate, base with 2 inflexed auricles, yellow with purple veins, glabrous externally; wings and keel nearly equal 10 mm x 2 mm; wings narrow; keel incurved, obtuse. Stamens 10, diadelphous (9+1), vexillary stamen free, anthers uniform, dorsifixed. Ovary ca. 3 mm long, flat, villous, unilocular with 2 ovules, placentation marginal; style 7 mm long, lower half pubescent; stigma terminal, small, capitate. Legumes 10-15 mm x 9-12 mm, oblong, mucronate, compressed, transversely striate, pilose. Seeds 2, 6 mm x 4 mm, suborbicular, strophiolate, funicle in middle.

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