PlantNET Home DONATE TODAY | PlantNET Home | Search NSW Flora | Contact Us  
FloraOnline
Introduction
Plant Name Search
Index Search
Spatial Search
Identification Keys
Classification
Glossary
WeedAlert
Telopea Journal
Other Data Sources
NEW SOUTH WALES FLORA ONLINE Printable Page

Genus Indigofera Family Fabaceae
Subfamily Faboideae

Description: Annual or perennial herbs or shrubs; hairs typically 2-branched, occasionally multicellular and gland-tipped.

Leaves alternate, simple, 1- or 3-foliolate, or imparipinnate with 5-many leaflets; leaflets entire, usually opposite; stipules present, sometimes spinescent.

Inflorescences axillary racemes. Calyx teeth subequal or the lowermost longer. Corolla red, pink or purple. Stamens diadelphous (9 fused ± 1 free); anthers apiculate. Ovary usually pubescent; style glabrous, stigma capitate; ovules 1, 2 or numerous.

Pods globose to linear and terete; mostly several-seeded, with seeds separated by membranous or pithy outgrowths of the endocarp.


Illustration
L. Elkan

Distribution and occurrence: World: >700 spp., trop. & subtrop. regions. Aust.: over 50 spp. (mostly endemic, 12 spp. naturalized), all mainland States.

Text by Peter G. Wilson
Taxon concept:

 Key to the species 
1Leaves simple2
Leaves compound, sometimes appearing simple through loss of leaflets3
2Pods globose; inflorescences ≤1 cm longIndigofera linifolia
Pods ± linear and terete; inflorescences 1.5–3 cm long
                       Back to 1
Indigofera triflora
3Leaflets alternate on the rachis; stipules lanceolate with scarious margins4
Leaflets usually opposite; stipules linear to triangular, margins not scarious, sometimes spinescent
                       Back to 1
5
4Pod short, usually <10 mm long; seeds usually 2; inflorescence usually ≤20 mm longIndigofera linnaei
Pod 10–18 mm long; seeds 4–8; inflorescence ≥30 mm long
                       Back to 3
Indigofera spicata
5Pods bearing relatively long stiff hairs or erect gland-tipped hairs6
Pods tomentose, appressed-hairy, or ± glabrous
                       Back to 3
7
6Pods deflexed, covered with stiff, spreading hairsIndigofera hirsuta
Pods not deflexed, bearing erect gland-tipped hairs amongst the appressed hairs
                       Back to 5
Indigofera colutea
7Pods straight8
Pods crescent-shaped
                       Back to 5
Indigofera suffruticosa
8Pods ± glabrous or with scattered, appressed hairs9
Pods densely appressed-hairy, or tomentose
                       Back to 7
16
9Stipules 4–7 mm long, persistent and spinescentIndigofera helmsii
Stipules ≤4 mm long, never spinescent, sometimes persistent
                       Back to 8
10
10Leaf rachis flattened, 1–4 mm wide; leaves sometimes appearing simple through loss of leaflets11
Leaf rachis ± terete; leaflets persistent
                       Back to 9
12
11Plant whitish in appearance; leaves with 5–9 leafletsIndigofera efoliata
Plant green in appearance; leaves with 9–23 leaflets
                       Back to 10
Indigofera adesmiifolia
12Branchlets white with a dense tomentumIndigofera coronillifolia
Branchlets greyish with appressed hairs or ± glabrous
                       Back to 10
13
13Plants shrubby, at least 1 m high14
Plants arising from underground rootstocks or rhizomes, usually <1 m high
                       Back to 12
15
14Plants dark green in appearance; hairs on calyx dark brown, hairs on back of standard whiteIndigofera australis
Plants grey in appearance; hairs on calyx and back of standard usually golden-brown
                       Back to 13
Indigofera brevidens
15Aerial stems weak and slender; flowers 4–7 mm longIndigofera baileyi
Aerial stems woody; flowers 14–17 mm long
                       Back to 13
Indigofera decora
16Leaves grey-green; inflorescences at least twice as long as the leavesIndigofera psammophila
Leaves grey or white with dense hairs; inflorescences less than twice as long as the leaves
                       Back to 8
17
17Leaves white; leaflets 9–13; inflorescences 3–6 cm longIndigofera leucotricha
Leaves grey; leaflets 15–21; inflorescences 6–16 cm long
                       Back to 16
Indigofera longibractea

  Privacy | Copyright | Disclaimer | About PlantNET | Cite PlantNET