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(Last Modified On 9/24/2013)
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(Last Modified On 9/24/2013)
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Genus
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ALYSICARPUS Desvaux
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Contributor
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Michael 0. Dillon
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PlaceOfPublication
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Journ. Bot. (Desvaux) ser. 2. 1: 120. 1813.
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Note
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TYPE: A. bupleurifolius (L.) DC. Hedysarum bupleurifolium L., type cons.
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Description
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Herbs; stems ascending to procumbent, terete, striate. Leaves alternate, 1-foliolate (rarely 3-foliolate); leaflets linear-lanceolate to oval, reticulate-venose; stipules scarious, acuminate, free or connate; bistipellate. Inflorescence race- mose, terminal or rarely axillary, bracts scarious, deciduous, pedicels paired, short. Flowers small; calyx 5-lobed, deeply divided, lobes unequal, the upper 2 connate nearly to the apex, glumaceous; corolla reddish purple, or rarely orange; the standard obovate to orbicular, clawed; the wings obliquely oblong; the keel slightly incurved, obtuse; stamens 10, diadelphous, upper connate only basally; anthers uniform; ovary sessile or shortly stipitate; ovules numerous; style fili- form, incurved at the apex, stigma broadly capitate, terminal. Fruit a loment, terete to compressed, submoniliform, indehiscent; seeds suborbicular or globose, smooth, lustrous, estrophiolate. Chromosomes: n = 8, 10.
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Habit
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Herbs
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Distribution
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primarily of the Old World tropics
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Note
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The genus appears to have no economic importance in the New World except as a noxious weed. However, in Africa Dalziel (1937) reports that various species including A. vaginalis are used locally as "a fodder for all kinds of domestic stock, used fresh, but preferably cut after fruiting and stored as hay; regarded as an excellent fodder for horses, but it is said to cause mucous diarrhoea if given in excess in the young and immature state during the rains."
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