Dolichos sericeus

Dolichos sericeus is a perennial climbing or prostrate shrub belonging to the family Fabaceae.

Description
Dolichos sericeus is a shrub that can grow up to 1.2 m long, the stem is slender and twining and covered in densely appressed or spreading hairs. Leaves are tri-foliate, petiolate and stipulate. Leaflets are broadly ovate to elliptic, up to 72 mm long and 40 mm wide and like its stem it is densely covered in hairs. Flowers are arranged in racemes, its peduncle is up to 35 mm long holding 2 - 10 flowers, corolla is purple or pink gradually turning creamy with age. Fruit is crescent shaped, 6 to many seeded.

Subspecies

 * Dolichos sericeus subsp. formosus (Hochst. ex A.Rich.) Verdc.
 * Dolichos sericeus subsp. glabrescens Verdc.
 * Dolichos sericeus subsp. pseudofalcatus Verdc.
 * Dolichos sericeus subsp. sericeus

Distribution
Dolichos sericeus is native to Tropical Africa, it is distributed in the horn of Africa, eastern and southern Africa and also occurring in Nigeria and Cameroon. Found in forest margins, prefers sandy or loamy soil.