| Dolichos sericeus | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Fabales |
| Family: | Fabaceae |
| Subfamily: | Faboideae |
| Genus: | Dolichos |
| Species: | D. sericeus |
| Binomial name | |
| Dolichos sericeus | |
Dolichos sericeus is a perennial climbing or prostrate shrub belonging to the family Fabaceae. [1]
Dolichos sericeus is a shrub that can grow up to 1.2 m (3.9 ft) long, the stem is slender and twining and covered in densely appressed or spreading hairs. [2] Leaves are tri-foliate, petiolate and stipulate. [2] 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. [2] Flowers are arranged in racemes, its peduncle is up to 35 mm (1.4 in) long holding 2 - 10 flowers, corolla is purple or pink gradually turning creamy with age. Fruit is crescent shaped, 6 to many seeded. [2]
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. [3] Found in forest margins, prefers sandy or loamy soil. [2]