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Indigofera adenotricha (Fabaceae: Faboideae), 
a new species from western Arnhem Land 
Peter G. Wilson 
Abstract 
Wilson, Peter G. (National Herbarium of New South Wales, Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney, NSW 2000, 
Australia) 2001 . Indigofera adenotricha (Fabaceae: Faboideae), a new species from western Arnhem Land. 
Telopea 9(2): 353-355. A new species, Indigofera adenotricha, is described, illustrated and its 
affinities discussed; it is apparently restricted to western Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory, 
Australia. Although it seems to be a member of the sect. Viscosae, it does not appear to be closely 
related to the widespread I. colutea, l. adenotricha is distinguished from 1 . colutea by the plentiful, 
longer glandular hairs, the fewer and larger leaflets, the longer terminal leaflets and the pink-purple 
flowers. 
Introduction 
Three specimens of an Indigofera species, collected in the Northern Territory, have 
recently come to light that show a very distinctive combination of characters. Most 
noticeably, this plant has relatively long, gland-tipped hairs on all parts, rather 
reminiscent of the widespread species, I. colutea, but differs from the latter in many 
floral and pod characters. It is unlikely to be an introduction: Schrire (1995) lists the 
character-state 'multicellular gland-tipped hairs' as present in only two groups of 
species (one being sect. Viscosae, the Type of which is I. colutea) but this plant does not 
match the circumscription of any described species. 
Indigofera adenotricha Peter G. Wilson, sp. nov. 
Omnes partes pilis glandulosis numerosis instructa; folia pinnata foliolis plerumque 
5-7, ellipticis, foliolo terminali quam ceteris manifeste longiore; inflorescentiae longae, 
folia excedentes; flores malvacei. 
Holotype: Northern Territory: Darwin & Gulf: East Alligator River, 4 km S of Cahills 
Crossing, Russell-Smith 570, 25 Apr 1983 (DNA). 
[Indigofera sp. 1, Brennan (1996: 53)] 
Spreading shrub, to 1 m high; young stems terete, covered with stalked glandular 
hairs 0.1-1 mm long, and scattered to dense, spreading, subequally biramous hairs. 
Leaves pinnate, (3-)5-7 leaflets; stipules linear, ± persistent, 2-3 mm long and bearing 
biramous and glandular hairs; petiole 5-27 mm long; rachis furrowed, multicellular 
hairs between leaflet pairs absent. Leaflets opposite; stipellae absent or linear, 0.6-1.2 mm 
long; lamina elliptical to narrowly elliptical, the laterals (7.5-)9-17 mm long, 4.5-10.5 mm 
wide, the terminals 16-24(-28) mm long, (5—)6.5—11 -5 mm wide; upper surface greyish, 
with sparse to moderately dense, appressed to slightly spreading hairs and occasional 
shortly stalked glandular hairs; lower surface greenish, with scattered biramous hairs 
and frequent glandular hairs; apex acute to obtuse with a short mucro; veins not 
prominent. Inflorescences 120-230 mm long, longer than leaves; peduncle 14-24 mm 
long; bracts narrowly triangular to linear, 0.8-1.5 mm long; flowers pink to purple; 
pedicel c. 1 mm long. Calyx 2.5 mm long, with subequal to equal lobes equal to or 
