Home | > | List of families | > | Fabaceae subfamily Papilionoideae | > | Macroptilium | > | atropurpureum |
Synonyms: |
Phaseolus atropurpureus DC. |
Common names: | Siratro (English) |
Frequency: | Local |
Status: | Introduced |
Description: |
Creeping perennial, ± densely hairy. Leaflets ± broadly ovate or rhombic, 1.5-5 × 1.5-5 cm, the laterals often lobed on the outer side. Inflorescences lax, long-pedunculate, erect. Corolla 17-20 mm; wings blackish-purple. Pod 6-9 × 0.4 cm, densely appressed-pubescent, c.12-15-seeded. |
Notes: | Introduced for pasture improvement and now a well-naturalised but not very common escape. Fairly frequent on roadside verges in Harare and occasionally seen elsewhere. In general appearance the species has greyish leaves, erect peduncles and looks generally like a very dark, almost black-flowered Vigna. The record (3814) by Bart Wursten and Mark Hyde from near Mutare is the first for the Eastern Division and the record (69720) by Malcolm Bethune from Bulawayo is the first for the Western Division. The earliest known record for Zimbabwe is a specimen in SRGH dated 21 March 1982 collected by G Pope and R Polhill near Mazoe Dam (Pope and Polhill 2077). |
Derivation of specific name: | atropurpureum: dark purple |
Habitat: | In disturbed places, most often on roadside verges. |
Altitude range: (metres) | 490 - 1570 m |
Flowering time: | Sep - Dec |
Worldwide distribution: | Native of tropical America. |
Zimbabwe distribution: | N,W,C,E |
Growth form(s): | |
Endemic status: | |
Red data list status: | |
Insects associated with this species: | |
Spot characters: | Display spot characters for this species |
Images last updated: | Saturday 22 October 2005 |
Literature: |
Mackinder, B. et al. (2001). Papilionoideae Flora Zambesiaca 3(5) Pages 159 - 160. 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 49. |
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