Rusty Indigo

Erect or spreading herb, annual or short-lived perennial, pubescent, hairs biramous and also multicellular, glandular. Leaf imparipinnately compound, petiole c. 1.2 cm long, rachis up to 6 cm long. Leaflets 7-11, c. 7-14 mm long, c. 3-4 mm broad, elliptic-oblong, obtuse, apiculate, appressly pubescent on both sides. Inflorescence an axillary pedunculate raceme, peduncle up to 7 or 12 mm long. Calyx c. 2.5 mm long, pubescent, teeth c. 1.25 mm long. Corolla pink. Vexillum c. 4 0-4.5 mm long. Fruit c. 1.8-2.6 cm long, pubescent, hairs appressed as well as gland-tipped.

Distribution: Pakistan, (Punjab); Afghanistan; India; Ceylon; Indonesia; Australia, New Zealand; Yemen; throughout Tropical Africa extending to S. Africa.

Fl. Per.: April-December.

Indigofera viscosa Lam Encyc 3: 247. 1789
Indigofera inquinans Willd. Sp. PI. 3. 1236. 1803.
Stem 3-10 dm. high, erect or spreading, in age somewhat woody at the base, densely glandular-hirsute as well as strigose; stipules subulate-setaceous, 2-3 mm. long; leaves 2-5 cm. long, the petiole and rachis glandular-hirsute and strigose; leaflets 7-13, membranous, elliptic or the terminal one obovate, 5-8 mm. long, pale-green above, with somewhat curved hairs less than 0.5 mm. long, glaucescent bene*th, strigose with straight hairs nearly 1 mm. long; spikes about equaling the leaves, 31 2-flowered ; calyx about 2 mm. long, strigose; corolla about 4 mm. long, bright-red; pod terete, 1.5-2.5 cm. long, 1.5 mm. thick, 8-12seeded, faintly tomentose; seeds about 1 mm. long, truncate at the ends.
Type locality: Described from cultivated specimens.
Distribution: Hispaniola; also in the East Indies, Malay islands, northern Australia, and tropical Africa.

Perennial, Herbs, Taproot present, Nodules present, Stems erect or ascending, Stems or branches arching, spreading or decumbent, Stems less than 1 m tall, Plants gland-dotted or with gland-tipped hairs, Stems solid, Stems or young twigs sparsely to densely hairy, Stems hairs pilose or spreading, Stems with 2-branched hairs, dolabriform, Leaves alternate, Leaves petiolate, Stipules inconspicuous, absent, or caducous, Stipules setiform, subulate or acicular, Stipules persistent, Stipules free, Stipules adnate to petiole, Leaves compound, Leaves odd pinnate, Leaf or leaflet margins entire, Leaflets opposite, Leaflets alternate or subopposite, Leaflets 5-9, Leaflets 10-many, Leaves glandular punctate or gland-dotted, Leaves viscid, sticky, Leaves hairy on one or both surfaces, Inflorescences racemes, 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 red, 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, Keel 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 gland-dotted o r with gland-tipped hairs, Fruit 3-10 seeded, Fruit 11-many seeded, Seeds ovoid to rounded in outline, Seed surface smooth, Seeds olive, brown, or black.