Herbs, perennial, unarmed, base woody; taproot well developed. Stems climbing or suberect, young growth densely strigose, hairs not uncinate, glabrescent. Leaves alternate, odd-pinnate, pulvinate; stipules present, sessile, not produced below point of insertion; petiolate; leaflets 3, stipels present, blade margins entire, surfaces glabrous or strigose. Inflorescences 5–10[–30]-flowered, axillary, pseudoracemes, rachis with swollen nodes; bracts and bracteoles present, bracteoles subpersistent, elliptic-rounded. Pedicels shorter than calyx tube. Flowers papilionaceous; calyx campanulate, lobes 5; corolla red-purple or white, 12–15 mm, glabrous, banner with 2 prominent appendages at base, wings relatively long, enclosing keel, keel narrow, beaked; stamens 10, diadelphous; anthers basifixed and dorsifixed, alternate, dehiscing laterally, pollen tricolporate; ovary straight, nectary disc at base, style laterally flattened with brush on internal face, stigma terminal. Fruits legumes, sessile, dark purple, compressed, usually oblong-falcate, 5–10 cm, tipped by persistent style, dehiscent, ventral sutures verrucose, glabrescent. Seeds 2–5, white or reddish brown to black, oblong, 9–13 mm; with long, lateral hilum covered by conspicuous linear, white rim aril, extending more than 1/2 seed length. x = 11, 12.

Distribution

Introduced; e Africa, introduced widely.

Discussion

Species 1.

Lablab cultivars are grown widely throughout the tropics and some temperate regions of the world.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

Lablab purpureus