Rhynchosia hirta (Andrews) Meikle & Verdc.

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Photo: Mark Hyde
National Botanic Garden, Harare.

Photo: Bart Wursten
National Botanic Garden, Harare.

Habit
Growing wild in shade of Khaya nyasica in sandy loam soil
Dabuyu Farms, Lilayi
Aug 2019
Photo: Nick Wightman

Flower portrait
Growing wild in shade of Khaya nyasica in sandy loam soil
Dabuyu Farms, Lilayi
Aug 2019
Photo: Nick Wightman

Flower profile
Growing wild in shade of Khaya nyasica in sandy loam soil
Dabuyu Farms, Lilayi
Aug 2019
Photo: Nick Wightman

Photo: Mark Hyde
National Botanic Garden, Harare

Seed
Munga woodland
Dabuyu Farms, Lilayi, Lusaka District
Aug 2023
Photo: Nick Wightman

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Species details: Click on each item to see an explanation of that item (Note: opens a new window)

Synonyms:	Cyanospermum tomentosum (Roxb.) Wight & Arn. Cylista albiflora Sims Cylista tomentosa Roxb. Dolichos hirtus Andrews Rhynchosia albiflora (Sims) Alston Rhynchosia cyanosperma Baker Rhynchosia tomentosa (Roxb.) Baill.
Common names:
Frequency:
Status:	Native
Description:	Robust climber 2-8 m long with stems covered in short reddish-brown hairs. Leaves 3-foliolate; terminal one ovate to rhombic, 5-18 cm long; lateral ones obliquely ovate, 4-13 cm long, sparsely pubescent above, pubescent to thickly grey-velvety beneath, rarely rusty hairy beneath; petiole 7-10 cm long; stipules elliptic-lanceolate, 1.2-1.4 cm long. Inflorescences 7-35 cm long, sometimes branched, densely reddish-brown velvety. Flowers greenish-cream to orange or pinkwith red or purplish veining, persistent and turning brick-red. Pods twisted, 1.5-3 cm long, densely grey velvety with blue seeds, remaining attached to the pod.
Type location:	Grown from seed probably from South Africa
Notes:
Derivation of specific name:	hirta: hairy
Habitat:	Grassland, Brachystegia woodland, along forest margins and occasionally on termite mounds.
Altitude range: (metres)	150 - 1740 m
Flowering time:
Worldwide distribution:	Widespread in tropical Africa, northeastern South Africa, Mascarene Islands, India and Sri Lanka.
FZ divisions:	N,Z,T,MS
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 2 January 2016
Literature:	Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 47. Da Silva, M.C., Izidine, S. & Amude, A.B. (2004). A preliminary checklist of the vascular plants of Mozambique. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 30 Sabonet, Pretoria Page 71. Dowsett-Lemaire, F. (1989). The flora and phytogeography of the evergreen forests of Malawi. I: Afromontane and mid-altitude forests; Bull. Jard. Bot. Nat. Belg. 59(1/2) Page 24. Drummond, R.B. (1972). A list of Rhodesian Legumes. Kirkia 8(2) Page 226. Mackinder, B. et al. (2001). Papilionoideae Flora Zambesiaca 3(5) Pages 173 - 174. 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 51. Ntore, S. & al. (2024). Checklist of the vascular plants of Burundi Page 131. Phiri, P.S.M. (2005). A Checklist of Zambian Vascular Plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 32 Page 63.

Other sources of information about Rhynchosia hirta:

Our websites:

Flora of Burundi: Rhynchosia hirta
Flora of Malawi: Rhynchosia hirta
Flora of Zambia: Rhynchosia hirta
Flora of Zimbabwe: Rhynchosia hirta
Flora of Zimbabwe: cultivated Rhynchosia hirta

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Rhynchosia hirta
African Plant Database: Rhynchosia hirta
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Rhynchosia hirta
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Rhynchosia hirta
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Rhynchosia hirta
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Rhynchosia hirta
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Rhynchosia hirta
JSTOR Plant Science: Rhynchosia hirta
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Rhynchosia hirta
Plants of the World Online: Rhynchosia hirta
Tropicos: Rhynchosia hirta
Wikipedia: Rhynchosia hirta