Indigofera 
I. colutea (Burm.f.) Merr. 
I. viscosa Lam. 
Erect or occasionally prostrate, annual or short lived 
perennial herb, to 0.5 m high. Indumentum of 
appressed, hyaline to green, equally 2-armed hairs, 
sparse to dense on stems; spreading, gland-tipped 
hairs usually present on vegetative parts. Stipules 
subulate, 1-3(5) mm long. Leaves pinnate; rachis 
furrowed, multicellular hairs between leaflet pairs 
absent; leaflets 7-15(21), elliptic to obovate, hairs 
sparse to moderately dense, appressed, apex obtuse, 
or acute and shortly mucronate; lateral leaflets 
2.5-9(13.5) mm long, 1-3(6.5) mm wide, terminal 
leaflet slightly larger. Inflorescence 15-50(90) mm 
long. Calyx 1.5-2.8 mm long, lobes longer than the 
tube. Standard red, obovate to elliptic. Pod ascending 
or spreading, brown, terete or slightly torulose, 10-25 
mm long, 1.5-2 mm wide, indumentum of moderately 
dense to dense appressed hairs with spreading, gland- 
tipped hairs mostly present, apex shortly pointed; 
endocarp spotted. Seeds (3)7-13. Flowering and 
fruiting: Feb - Apr. Fig. 26 
Through the Old World tropics from north east 
Africa to New Guinea and tropical Australia, 
extending to SA and northern NSW. Common in the 
DR. Grows predominantly on sandy or loamy soils, 
on disturbed sites or in areas of open vegetation. 
*J, glandulosa J.C.Wendl. 
I. glandulosa Willd. 
Erect, annual or short-lived perennial herb to 0.75 
m high. Indumentum of spreading, unequally 2-armed 
hairs, moderately dense on the stems. Stipules linear, 
3-4 mm long. Leaves 3-foliolate; rachis terete to 
slightly furrowed, multicellular hairs between leaflet 
pairs absent; leaflets narrow obovate, hairs fine, 
appressed to shortly spreading, lower surface 
prominently spotted with brown to black vesicular 
glands, apex obtuse to slightly emarginate, shortly 
mucronate; basal leaflets 20-35 long, 6-10 mm wide; 
terminal leaflet somewhat larger. Inflorescence 10- 
15 mm long, shorter than the leaf. Calyx to 3 mm 
long, lobes longer than the tube. Standard pink, 
elliptic; keel spotted with vesicular glands. Pod 
descending, short-cylindrical, 5-6 mm long, with 4 
ridges bearing rows of narrow-triangular projections, 
hairy; apex rounded, with a short point; endocarp not 
spotted. Seeds 1-2. Flowering: Jan - Feb; fruiting: 
Mar. Fig. 25 
Occurs from India to Indonesia (Java to Timor) and 
Australia. Uncommon in Qld and in the northern NT 
and WA. The only specimen from the DR was 
collected in 1881. 
FABACEAE 87 
I. hirsuta L. 
Usually an erect annual herb or subshrub; to 1(1.5) 
m high. Indumentum of spreading, white, golden, red- 
brown or dark brown, very unequally 2-armed hairs 
(appearing simple), sparse to moderately dense on 
the stems. Stipules subulate, (2.5)5-10(14) mm 
long. Leaves pinnate, rachis furrowed, multicellular 
hairs between leaflet pairs absent, or few and 
inconspicuous; leaflets 3-9(11), obovate, sometimes 
elliptic, hairs sparse to dense, spreading or shortly 
spreading, apex obtuse and shortly mucronate; lateral 
leaflets (4)6-25(45) mm long, (2)4.5-16(25) mm wide; 
terminal leaflet a little longer. Inflorescence 
(20)60-200(345) mm long, longer than leaf. Calyx 
3-7 mm long; lobes longer than tube. Standard red, 
rarely pinkish or yellowish, ovate to obovate or 
orbicular. Pod reflexed, red-brown, terete or shortly 
cylindrical, 10-20(26) mm long, 2-3.5 mm wide, 
indumentum of dense to moderately dense, unequally 
2-armed, spreading hairs, apex shortly pointed; 
endocarp spotted. Seeds 6-8(9). Flowering: Jan - Apr; 
fruiting: Feb - July. Fig. 26 
Widespread in the Old World tropics and across 
tropical Australia, extending to northern NSW. 
Introduced to tropical America. Common in the DR. 
On a variety of substrates from sandy to clay soils, in 
Eucalypt savanna or on disturbed sites. 
I. linifolia (L.f.) Retz. 
Usually an erect annual herb to 0.3(0.5) m high. 
Indumentum of appressed, hyaline, white or greenish 
equally 2-armed hairs, moderately dense to dense on 
stems. Stipules triangular, 1-3 mm long. Leaves 
Indigofera glandulosa 
Fig. 25 
