How to ID Indigofera!

How to ID Indigofera (for when mr_fab is busy)

• number of leaflets (single, trifoliolate, 5-7-9 (-15) foliolate)
• leaves pinnate (rachis with terminal leaflet) or digitate (like a palm - all leaflets in one cluster)
• indumentum on leaves and flowers (none, simple, dentritic (tree: mist catchers)) - density, adpressed or erect,
• pods - hairy or glabrous (also: pod length - not so useful in Cape)
• calyx length, and shape of lobes (must have a side view) ESSENTIAL. typically Indigofera have short calyx tubes
• habit (reseeder or resprouter)
• habit - growth form: sprawling or creeping.
• spines or brachyplasts (leaves fascicled on knobs) or none
• length of raceme (relative to leaves: shorter or longer)
• petals after pollination: fall off or retained.(dry up as fruit develops)
• fruit (seeds): difficult as the ripening is delayed and fruit seldom on plant when in flower and plants (near) impossible to find in fruit only.

Example:

• Indigofera discolor Group (2 old and 4 new):
  Indigofera procumbens - "peanut" Indigo
  Indigofera discolor
  Indigofera harveyana - Langebaan: spider-like calices dense on developing inflorescence, lobes and bracts crispy, wing petals much longer than keel
  Indigofera basonii - hairy, lanceolate calyx lobes, discolorous hairy leaves: few sites in Sandveld region, Piketberg to Maskam (Rooibos and other agriculture present threat)
  Indigofera cousinii - violet colour, short, linear calyx lobes and hairless fruit
  Indigoferea rubrovinacea - leaves venate, hairless fruit, flowers red-wine colour, dark in bud phase, rostrate keel
  All four new ones are EN or CR

Very palatable: eaten to death ... in Karoo and Renosterveld often only found in road reserves - Fynbos species not so bad

• favourite: Indigofera limosa (after I. anastasia [not a dancing partner])

Notes from a talk by @mr_fab on 17 Sep 2023 at CREW AGT

Posted on September 17, 2023 07:24 AM by tonyrebelo