Tephrosia coriacea Benth.

Scientific Description

Erect, shrub, spindly shrub (broom-like). Stems terete, not spiny, hairy; pustules or glands absent. Leaves or phylloclades clearly present, simple, alternate, continuous with stem, 25-65 mm long, 12-48 mm wide, hairy, with simple hairs, flat with flat margins; margins entire; tubercles absent; pustules or glands absent. Stipules present and persistent to older leaves, 5-6.5 mm long, without glands, ribless. Pedicel present, 2.5-4 mm long, hairy. Bracteoles present and persistent. Calyx 4.5-6.2 mm long, not accrescent, hairy, with simple hairs, ribless; pustules or glands present or absent. Corolla 8-10 mm long, multicoloured, mostly red or orange, with some red or orange spots, streaks or blotches; claws present; standard 7-9.5 mm long, hairy at least in part, not auriculate, wings 7-8.5 mm long, not auriculate, keel 6.5-7.6 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, 5-7.5 mm long. Ovary sessile or subsessile, hairy or glandular; style 7.5-9.5 mm long, hairy or glandular towards the base, not bearded, flattened at apex. Fruit dehiscent (a pod or follicle), 25-55 mm long, 4-5 mm wide, sessile or subsessile, constricted between the seeds, round in cross-section, hairy, with simple hairs, not beaked. Flowers in January, February, March, April and May. Occurs in the Northern Botanical Province, in the Northern Kimberley, Victoria Bonaparte, Central Kimberley and Dampierland IBRA regions.