Tephrosia leptoclada Benth.

Scientific Description

Prostrate,spreading or scrambling, shrub, spindly shrub (broom-like). Stems terete, not spiny, hairy; pustules or glands absent. Leaves or phylloclades clearly present, compound, alternate, continuous with stem, 30-70 mm long, hairy, with simple hairs, flat with flat margins; margins entire; tubercles absent, leaflets 5-7, pinnately arranged, terminal leaflet present, stalked; pustules or glands absent. Stipules present and persistent to older leaves, 3.5-4.8 mm long, without glands, ribless. Pedicel present, 3-4 mm long, hairy. Bracteoles present and persistent. Calyx 3.5-4.5 mm long, not accrescent, hairy, with simple hairs, ribless; pustules or glands absent. Corolla 6-9 mm long, multicoloured, mostly pink, red or purple, with some pink, red or purple spots, streaks or blotches; claws present; standard 6.5-8 mm long, hairy at least in part, not auriculate, wings 6 mm long, not auriculate, keel 6.5 mm long, not beaked, not auriculate, glabrous. Stamens ten; anthers 0.3-0.4 mm long, at two different levels (filaments alternately long and short); filaments united in an open sheath with one free stamen, 5-5.5 mm long. Ovary sessile or subsessile, hairy or glandular; style 6-6.5 mm long, hairy or glandular towards the base, not bearded, flattened at apex. Fruit dehiscent (a pod or follicle), 25-47 mm long, 3-4 mm wide, sessile or subsessile, constricted between the seeds, flat or compressed, hairy, with simple hairs, not beaked. Flowers in January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September and November. Occurs in the Northern and Eremaean Botanical Province, in the Pilbara, Northern Kimberley, Victoria Bonaparte, Central Kimberley and Dampierland IBRA regions.