Threeleaf Indigo

Undershrub, much branched, c. 30-60 cm long, young branches pubescent, later becoming glabrescent. Leaf trifoliolate, petiole c. 6-13 mm long; leaflets c. 9-26 mm long, c. 6-10 mm broad, oblanceolate, obtuse, mucronate, pubescent on both sides, more densely hairy beneath as well as glandular punctate; stipules small, setaceous. Inflorescence a sessile raceme, usually shorter than the leaf. Pedicel very short. Calyx c. 3-3.5 mm long, pubescent externally, teeth lanceolate. Corolla dark pink. Vexillum c. 4.5 mm long. Fruit deflexed, c. 1.2-2.0 cm long, straight, somewhat 4 angled, with 4 narrow wings, one on each side of the suture, sparsely pubescent, 6-8-seeded.

Distribution: Pakistan (Punjab); Kashmir; Bangla Desh; India; Nepal; Ceylon; Burma; Indochina; Indonesia; Philippines, New Guinea; China; Australia.

Fl.Per.: July-November.

Annual, Perennial, Shrubs, Herbs, Taproot present, Nodules present, Stems erect or ascending, Stems prostrate, trailing, or mat forming, Stems less than 1 m tall, Stems solid, Stems or young twigs sparsely to densely hairy, Stem hairs hispid to villous, Stems with 2-branched hairs, dolabriform, Leaves alternate, Leaves petiolate, Stipules inconspicuous, absent, or caducous, Stipules persistent, Stipules free, Leaves compound, Leaves pinnately 3-foliolate, Leaves odd pinnate, Leaf or leaflet margins entire, Leaflets opposite, Leaflets 3, Leaves glandular punctate or gland-dotted, Leaves hairy on one or both surfaces, Flowers in axillary clusters or few-floweredracemes, 2-6 flowers, Inflorescences racemes, Inflorescence sessile or subsessile, Inflorescence axillary, Bracts very small, absent or caducous, Flowers zygomorphic, Calyx 5-lobed, Calyx glabrous, Petals separate, Corolla papilionaceous, Petals clawed, Petals greenish yellow, Petals pinkish to rose, Petals red, Petals bicolored or with red, purple or yellow streaks or spots, Banner petal ovoid or obovate, Wing petals narrow, oblanceolate to oblong, Wing petals auriculate, Wing tips obtuse or rounded, Keel petals auriculate, spurred, or gibbous, Kee l abruptly curved, or spirally coiled, Keel tips obtuse or rounded, not beaked, Stamens 9-10, Stamens diadelphous, 9 united, 1 free, Filaments glabrous, Style terete, Fruit a legume, Fruit unilocular, Fruit freely dehiscent, Fruit elongate, straight, Fruit oblong or ellipsoidal, Fruit coriaceous or becoming woody, Fruit exserted from calyx, Fruit inflated or turgid, Fruit internally septate between the seeds, Fruit hairy, Fruit 3-10 seeded, Seeds ovoid to rounded in outline, Seed surface smooth, Seeds olive, brown, or black.