Tephrosia brachyodon Domin

Scientific Description

Erect, shrub, spindly shrub (broom-like). Stems terete, not spiny, hairy; pustules or glands absent. Leaves or phylloclades clearly present, compound, alternate, not continuous with stem, 50-135 mm long, hairy, with simple hairs, flat with flat margins; margins entire; tubercles absent, leaflets 7-17, pinnately arranged, terminal leaflet present, stalked; pustules or glands absent. Stipules present and persistent to older leaves. Pedicel present, 3-4 mm long, hairy. Bracteoles present and persistent. Calyx 4.5-5 mm long, not accrescent, hairy, with simple hairs, ribless; pustules or glands absent. Corolla 8-9.5 mm long, multicoloured, mostly pink or purple, with some pink or purple spots, streaks or blotches; claws present; standard 7.6-8.5 mm long, hairy at least in part, not auriculate, wings 7-7.5 mm long, not auriculate, keel 7-7.5 mm long, not beaked, not auriculate, hairy at least in part. Stamens ten; anthers 0.4-0.5 mm long, at two different levels (filaments alternately long and short); filaments united in an open sheath with one free stamen, 6.5-7.2 mm long. Ovary stipitate, hairy or glandular; style 7-7.5 mm long, hairy or glandular towards the base, not bearded, terete. Fruit dehiscent (a pod or follicle), stipitate, constricted between the seeds, round in cross-section, glabrous, not beaked. Flowers in March, April, May, June and July. Occurs in the Northern Botanical Province, in the Northern Kimberley and Central Kimberley IBRA regions.