20 
13. Sesbania leptocarpa, D.C. Prodr. ii, 265 (1825); Guill. et Perrott. FI. Seneg. i, 199, 
(1830-33) ; Baker in Oliv. Fl. Trop. Afr.. 1, 135, partly (1871). 
Stem herbaceous, sparingly branched, glabrous, finely grooved. Leaves up to 9 em. 
long, longer than the inflorescence; rachis very slightly aculeate towards the base ; | 
leaflets 8-18 pairs, distinctly stalked, narrowly oblong, very unequal-sided at the base, _ | 
rounded and finely mucronate at the apex, 1-1-3 cm. long, about 2-5-3 mm. broad, finely 
punctate with numerous black spots on both surfaces, otherwise glabrous ; stipules very 
soon falling off, linear-lanceolate, acute, about 2-5 mm. long, slightly hairy towards the 
tips ; stipels minute, like little points. Inflorescence a simple raceme, about three-flowered ; 
peduncle slender, slightly aculeate towards the base; bracts like the stipules, very soon 
falling off; bracteoles small, at the base of the calyx tube. Flowers small, about 1 cm. 
long. Calyx turbinate-campanulate, 4 mm. long, glabrous, with five triangular subacute 
teeth slightly puberulous on the margin. Vezilum suborbicular, striate and slightly 
punctate, about 1 cm. long; claw without appendages at the base or only slight thicken- 
ings representing them. Alae and keel striate. Ovary and style glabrous. Fruits 12-15 em. 
long, 3 mm. broad, torulose, with a dark blotch between the joints, acutely acuminate, 
14-24 seeded. Seeds black, 3 mm. long. 
] 
TROPICAL AFRICA: Senegambia: Moist plains around St. Louis, at north Point, 
near the Walo River, Richard-Tol, Dagana, etc., Hendelot 489; Perrottet 233. 
This species is distinguished by its slightly aculeate peduncles, by the absence of 
appendages from the claw of the vexillum, and the torulose blotched fruits. It is apparently 
confined to Senegambia. 
14. Sesbania pachycarpa D.C. Prodr. 11, 265 (1825); Guill. et Perrott. Fl. Seneg. 200, 
t. 50 (1830-33) ; Baker in Oliv. Fl. Trop. Afr., ii, 134, partly (1871). Sesban phaero- 
carpus, Hiern. in Cat. Afr. Pl. Welw. i, 232, partly, non Welw. 
Stems herbaceous, pithy, glabrous. Leaves 40 cm. long, many times longer than the 
inflorescence ; rachis contracted at the base, glabrous; leaflets very numerous, linear- 
oblong, truncate or rounded and mucronate at the apex, slightly oblique at the base, 
1-2 em. long, 3-5 mm. broad, glaucous-green, glabrous, very minutely punctate with 
black spots; stipules linear, nearly 1 cm. long, glabrous. Inflorescence short, slender, 
few-flowered, or sometimes reduced to two or three flowers; peduncle smooth; pedicels 
up to 1 em. long, with two early deciduous bracteoles towards the apex. Calyx broadly 
campanulate, from a sharply turbinate base, 5 mm. long, finely puberulous within the 
margins of the acutely triangular lobes. Petals yellow; the vexillum densely mottled 
with dark spots. Appendages to vexillum adnate to the claw. Fruits erect, curved, 
about 15 em. long and 7 mm. broad, when ripe acutely beaked, with straight margins to 
the valves, but with slight constrictions between the seeds between the margins. Seeds 
separated by partitions of the sub-membranous endocarp, broadly oblong, truncate at 
each end, 3-5 mm. long, rarely 3 mm. thick, pale brown. 
TROPICAL AFRICA : Senegambia: Perrottet 230 (Herb. Mus. Brit.). Northern Nigeria : 
Bornu, E. Vogel 79; Katagum District, J. M. Dalziel 9; near Abinsi, J. M. Dalziel 615. 
Eastern Sudan: South Kordofan, Pfund 134; Kotschy 72. “ Upper Nile.” Freeman and 
Lucas. Abyssinia: 'Terrefera Valley, Schimper 775. Angola: Loanda, Welwitsch 1991 
(Herb. Kew. non Herb. Mus. Brit.) ; Mossamedes, Welwitsch 1996b. 
Known in Nigeria as “ Zamarke ` (Dalziel). 
15. Sesbania aculeata Pers. Synops. u, 316, partly (1807); D.C. Prodr., ii, 265 (1825); 
Prain in Journ. Asiat. Soc., Bengal, Ixvi, 369 (1897). Sesban punctatus, Hiern. in 
Welw. Cat. Afr. Pl. i, 230, partly. Sesban aegyptiacus Hiern, l.c., 231, non Poir. 
A weed of moist places often up to 5 m. high; stem patently branched from the base 
to apex, often aculeate, but sometimes smooth. Leaves up to 25 em. long; rachis 
generally aculeate below; leaflets about thirty pairs, generally about 1-5 cm. long and 
