Indigofera trifoliata

Indigofera trifoliata L. (Syn: Indigofera glandulifera Hayata; Indigofera trifoliata var. angustata Miq.; Indigofera trifoliata var. liukiuensis Matsum.; Indigofera barberi Gamble; Indigofera karuppiana Pallith.; Indigofera moluccana DC.; Indigofera multicaulis DC.; Indigofera peregrina DC.; Indigofera trifoliata var. brachycarpa Gagnep.; Indigofera trifoliata var. multicaulis (DC.) Miq.; Indigofera vestita Baker; Lotus perigrinus sensu Burm.f.);

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Undershrub with robust trailing branches; leaves trifoliate; leafletsshallowly notched, black-gland-dotted on under surface, racemes almost sessile, flowers bright red in axillary clusters, bristle-like calyx teeth and pubescent deflexed pod with distinct wings, 8-10 mm long, 4-6 seeded., seed, as long as broad and red flowers in axillary clusters.

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As per efi thread:

I. trifoliata I. prostrata I. glandulosa

1. Perennial, stout stems Annual, slender erect stems Annual, slender erect stems

2. Leaflets shallowly notched leaflets obtuse or mucronate leaflets obtuse or mucronate

3. lower surface black-gland dotted orange-gland dotted brown-gland dotted

4. pod 8-10 mm long, 4-6 seeded pod 13-15 mm long, 6-9 seeded pod 5-6 mm long, 1-2 seeded

5. pod distinctly winged pod faintly winged pod distinctly winged, wings toothed

6. seed as long as broad seed as long as broad seed longer than broad
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Fabaceae (Faboideae) Fortnight: Indigofera trifoliata from Chakrata Tiger fall area-GSOCT32/37 : 1 post by 1 author. Attachments (5)
Indigofera trifoliata L., Cent.Pl. 2:29. 1756.
Undershrub with robust trailing branches; leaves trifoliate; leafletsshallowly notched, black-gland-dotted on under surface, racemes almost sessile, flowers bright red in axillary clusters, bristle-like calyx teeth and pubescent deflexed pod with distinct wings, 8-10 mm long, 4-6 seeded., seed, as long as broad and red flowers in axillary clusters.
Photographed from Chakrata Tiger fall road in September.

Fabaceae (Faboideae) Fortnight :: Indigofera trifoliata :: Chakrata :: NS OCT 74/74 : 1 post by 1 author. Attachments (3)
Please find pics of Indigofera trifoliata…recorded from Chakrata !!

Fabaceae-Faboideae (Papilionaceae) Week: Lespedeza sp. from Chakrata Tiger fall area:
Undershrub with robust trailing branches; leaves trifoliate up to 2.5 cm long, and red flowers in axillary clusters.
Photographed from Chakrata Tiger fall road in September.

Could this be an Indigofera species? I think pods of Lespedeza are 1-seeded. I may be wrong though.

…, you are never wrong.
I never knew Indigofera has a few species with trifoliate leaves, so perhaps ignored the pod length.
Yes it matches with Indigofera trifoliata L. with leaflets gland-dotted on under surface, racemes almost sessile, bright red corolla , bristle-like calyx teeth and pubescent deflexed pod with weak wings.

I agree with your id : I. trifoliata.

Surely Indigofera, but to me it look more like I. trita

I did consider I. trita seriously but went for I. trifoliata because:

1. the pods appear winged.

2. under surface of leaf is gland-dotted

3. according to eflora of Pakistan inflorescence may be up to 4.5 cm long in I. trita, here it is sessile

4. I trifoliata is reported from the area, not I. trita
Enclosing some more close ups

I just came across the description in Herbaceous Flora of Dehradun by C R Babu, adjacent to our Chakrata. He reports Indigofera prostrata from the area, a species that was treated under I. trifoliata in FBI and few other Floras, but as distinct species by Gamble, Babu and now The Plant list. According to Babu the two are differentiated as under:

Indigofera trifoliata: perennial, stout stems, leaflets shallowly notched, stout; pod 8-10 mm long, 2 mm broad, 4-6 seeded; sutures winged, seeds as long as broad.

Indigofera prostrata: annual, slender stems, leaflets obtuse mucronate, slender; pod 13-15 mm long, 1 mm broad, 8-9 seeded, faintly winged; seeds longer than broad.

In above photographs leaves appear mucronate, but other things don’t match I. prostrata they rather approach I. trifoliata.
Your comments please.

I consider the posted plant as Indigofera trifoliata, mainly due to the prominent wings. I. prostrata is a prostrate herb with very narrowly winged pods. It is not I. trita for sure.

Just to complete the discussion please try to answer my query too…
Why it is not Indigofera glandulosa?

You are right to point out the possibility. Interestingly it is also reported in Herbaceous Flora of Dehradun. Here are characteristics of three suspected species:

I. trifoliata I. prostrata I. glandulosa

1. Perennial, stout stems Annual, slender erect stems Annual, slender erect stems

2. Leaflets shallowly notched leaflets obtuse or mucronate leaflets obtuse or mucronate

3. lower surface black-gland dotted orange-gland dotted brown-gland dotted

4. pod 8-10 mm long, 4-6 seeded pod 13-15 mm long, 6-9 seeded pod 5-6 mm long, 1-2 seeded

5. pod distinctly winged pod faintly winged pod distinctly winged, wings toothed

6. seed as long as broad seed as long as broad seed longer than broad
Based on length of pod and wings, it appears closer to I. trifoliata, but others are also very close.

Appears closer to images of Indigofera glandulosa Wendl. by …, rather than images of Indigofera trifoliata L. by ….

This should be either Indigofera trifoliata or I. trita, not I. glandulosa.

Thanks, …,

Appears like Indigofera trifoliata as per A revision of trifoliolate Indigofera (Tribe Indigofereae: Fabaceae) in India – Vibha Chauhan, Arun Pandey – Phytotaxa Vol 220, No 1 (2015)- a copy of which I have marked to you separately in Dec.’15.
If anyone still want it I can send it to him again.

Thanks …, for the ID validation and the paper.

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ANSEPT75 Please confirm if Indigofera glandulosa : 3 posts by 2 authors. Attachments (6).

Tharalu village Bangalore 26th September 2014
According to Gamble, the underside is spotted with black-glands. The glands on the underside of the leaf I have photographed are white. If this is still I. glandulosa, can somebody please clarify if such variation is possible?

When compare with earlier postings it is matching with Indigofera glandulosa

Thank you sir.

It could be Indigofera trifoliata or I. prostrata, depends on minute difference which can be determined under stereomicroscope.
Pods 1–1.5mm broad, obscurely winged; terminal petiolule as long as lateral ones………………….. I. prostrata
Pods more than 1.5mm broad, prominently winged; terminal petiolule slightly longer than the lateral ones…..I. trifoliata