Stylosanthes fruticosa

(Retz.) Alston (1931)

This name is accepted

Kingdom: Viridiplantae Phylum: Magnoliophyta Class/Clade: Eudicot-Rosids Order: Fabales Family: Fabaceae Genus: Stylosanthes

Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form: Erect or spreading subshrubs.

Stems: Stems 1–10 dm long, sparsely hispid, usually glandular.

Roots:

Leaves: Leaves compound. Alternate. Leaflets elliptic to lanceolate, 0.5–3.3 cm long, 0.1–0.9 cm wide. Apex biapiculate. Surfaces pubescent and sparsely to densely hispid. Leaflet margins entire. Secondary veins thickened toward margins. Petiolate. Stipules present 8–16 mm long, persistent.

Flowers: Flowers in heads, ca. 1 cm in diameter, usually also with a plumose axis 3–10 mm long, bracts 1.2–2 cm long. Flowers bisexual (perfect), papilionaceous; bracteoles 4–6 mm long. Calyx persistent in fruit, the lobes 2.5–3 mm long. Receptacle elongated, stalklike; Calyx 5-lobed, membranous, connate basally. Corolla pale yellow or orange with red veins and basal mark on standard, 5–7 mm long, inserted on calyx tube. Stamens 10, connate into a tube, eventually splitting on upper side, upper ones connate into a lip, the lowermost longest; anthers alternately long (subbasifixed) and short (versatile). Ovary superior; ovules 1–3.

Fruit: Pods oblong; compressed; articulate; consisting of 1–2 articles; 4–9 mm long; articles 3.5–4 mm long; pubescent at least on margins; beak slightly uncinate; 1.5–2.5 mm long; apex tipped by the persistent; hooked style base. Seeds brown; ellipsoid; compressed; 2–3 mm long.

Ploidy: 2n = 20

Habitat:

Elevation Range: 70–300 m.

Historical Distribution

Uses and Culture

USES

Natural History

Statewide Status

Only found in cultivation

Island Status

Kaua'i Only found in cultivation
Molokai Only found in cultivation

Dispersal Agents


Pollinators

Specimens

Notes

  • 70-300m
  • Description digitized by Joanne Lum
  • Moloka'i in 1973

Bibliography

Name Published In: H.Trimen, Handb. Fl. Ceylon 6(Suppl.): 77 (1931)

Occurrences

SNo. Scientific Name Scientific Name Authorship Locality Habitat Basis of Record Recorded By Record Number Island Source Date
1 Stylosanthes fruticosa (Retz.) Alston USDA Plant Materials Center; grass and legume groundcover trial, initial testing field 8A, row 1, plot 1, HA-3177 PRESERVED_SPECIMEN Evans, M. M-61 Molokai BISH 7/9/1990
2 Stylosanthes fruticosa (Retz.) Alston hanalei valley, forest reserve, hunting unit c, near end of ohiki road PRESERVED_SPECIMEN flynn, t. hume, l. collector number: 1614 Pearl And Hermes Reef BISH 3/27/1986
3 Stylosanthes fruticosa (Retz.) Alston usda plant materials center; grass and legume groundcover trial, initial testing field 8a, row 1, plot 1, ha-3177 PRESERVED_SPECIMEN evans, m. collector number: m-61 Molokai BISH 7/9/1990
4 Stylosanthes fruticosa (Retz.) Alston Hanalei Valley, Forest Reserve, Hunting Unit C, near end of Ohiki Road ground cover along trail PRESERVED_SPECIMEN Flynn, T. 1614 Kauai BISH 3/27/1986