86 FABACEAE Indigofera 
INDIGOFERA L. 
Peter G. Wilson & Ross Rowe 
Annual or perennial shrubs or herbs. Indumentum typically of 2-armed hairs, sometimes with multicellular 
and/or gland-tipped hairs as well. Stipules present, sometimes spinescent and persistent. Leaves simple, 
1-foliolate, 3-foliolate or imparipinnate, opposite, discolorous; stipels present in some species, persistent. 
Inflorescence a pedunculate axillary raceme; flowers pedicellate; bracts semipersistent. Calyx lobes 5, subequal 
or the lowermost longer. Corolla red or pink to purple, rarely glabrous; standard lacking calli; wings held 
horizontally adjacent to the keel; keel with lateral pockets. Stamens 9+1; filaments alternately long and short; 
anthers attached near base, versatile, apiculate. Ovary sessile, usually pubescent; ovules 1, 2 or numerous; 
style incurved, glabrous; stigma capitate. Pod straight or curved, spreading to descending, rarely ascending, 
globose to linear, terete or sometimes angular, usually dehiscent, the base of the pod often staying attached to 
the plant as the remainder is shed; endocarp very often spotted. Seeds separated by papery or pithy outgrowths 
of the endocarp, globose to cylindrical or cuboidal; hilum central or towards one side; ecarunculate. 
A genus of over 700 spp. found in tropical & subtropical areas. Around 53 species occur in Australia with 11 
species known from the DR out of 25 occurring in the NT. 
[ee Leaves:simple oral-foliolatesstrcrseciresresstecrercteseseserstbecerttactestidtabtesrsreeteresettteesttert esest risers 2 
1 Meaves:witho:onmoreileatletSsrecmirittirtttresstecstttscetesytsteretrsestt tesessstesscscesetesceseetetterrirtit es 4 
2eeaiLeat simples pods lobularsseed solitary mertesrsesressttsterestesserrsseeerseresrscreertereeteessetstereseettters I. linifolia 
Dh Leaf 1-foliolate, rachis articulated; pod terete; Seeds >6 .......eessseseseesseesestsesesssseseseneaeeeees 3 
zi. Blades>20 imum wider rss sicwserrrscsssessrestensectessistverstetsracteteseretierevetirertereraseiersereteiisceced ar ssgeted I. schultziana 
3 Same B lades< 1 Oimitinswidestentirestttcrestiiscerstrittarstesttettsrresttrareestertterrereetrsserssearttietttereestttttitter I. parviflora 
4 Lecafletsigmrrsertitertsrtttrsts sscteariicsciisteertttaceertersererectterersrsersisesttrrisestetresenettiseettert tetera? 5 
4 Veafletsiisuallynocormoressccecrertssrsstesitsenseistacioterretscrisctilicsssecs ftaerastertcanesesistsercerferieeeti trea 10 
Nf Leaflets with vesicular glands on underside .............csssessesesseseseseceeecestsceecsceecseeeeaeeneesenees 6 
Se Leatletsilackingivesicular slandsmrsemsstrietrcelstetttetssesstteperstersrstesteettiteetreer terete reerestesrs 7 
6. Stipules c. 1 mm long; pod 7-20 mm long; seeds 3-7 ......cceeseeseeseesseeseneeetetseseseaeseseseeeeeees I. trifoliata 
6. Stipules 3-4 mm long; pod 5-6 mm long; seeds 1-2 .......eseeeseeseseeeeseseseeeeceetetetseseseeseees I. glandulosa 
mmm POS 4-an Sled Brcterrerecectecrrererereersserrrtevrtersttred stetstet rte ti fretest CritestetinertetrstsrerstePettrr Titer e rh 8 
7. Pods terete or compressed-terete 9 
8. Inflorescence 60-160 mm long; pod 1-1.8 mm Wide .......cccsseseeseseseeesteessseseeeeteteenenenens I. polygaloides 
820 Inflorescence;25-50 mmilong;: pod /2-SimMiwidess,,.rssscsonssesersrescereeereseteriorteteeierteseeteerreess I. trita 
9. Leaflets <6 mm wide.... I. parviflora 
Dm aWeatletss>1 0 mimlongeecrssctirristscctsterresst eerie etree etetetettreritelttesesrtirrenestestteserripee I. saxicola 
10. Gland-tipped hairs always present, at least on the Ovary OF fTUit ...........sececesesessseeeeeseseneees I. colutea 
10 Mee Gland-tippedjharrstabsentyresceressertesrettre setters tie eretr eter fin earaeen ates ennrte tac tases srertrrerctte 11 
11.’ Hairs spreading, very unequally 2-armed, appearing simple .............:.ssssseseseseeeeseseseeeseees I. hirsuta 
11a Hairstappressed,equallya2-armed Bearer ntrtsttit rit titer titra titeasercrerterstestestts 12 
12. Leaflets linear, narrowly lanceolate or narrowly elliptic, <6 MM Wide .........s.cssceseseseeeeees I. parviflora 
13 
12. Leaflets ovate or obovate, usually >4 mm wide 
13. Multicellular hairs present between leaflet pairs; leaflets in 3-9(11) pairs, 
10-22 iminrwide; podss>2amm wide mesetessetttetsteeeteitetiterett terete I. saxicola 
13. Multicellular hairs between leaflet pairs absent or inconspicuous; 
leaflets in (7)9-13 pairs, 4-12(19) mm wide; pods <2 mM Wide ........ccscssessessesesseseeseese I. tinctoria 
