92 FABACEAE Macroptilium 
clawed, outer margin adnate above the claws, twisted, incurved. Stamens 9+1, upper stamen dilated and 
geniculate at base; anthers uniform, basifixed. Ovary sessile, sericeous, many-ovuled; style thickened in 
upper part, twisted through 90° and geniculate to form a hook, bearded below the capitate stigma. Pod brown, 
straight, cylindrical, with spongy septa, the dehisced valves spirally twisted. Seeds mottled, longitudinal in 
pod; hilum central; ecarunculate. 
About 20 species, native to the New World. Two introduced species in the NT, both widespread in the DR 
and tropical Australia. 
1. Twining vine; lower leaflets lobed, leaf bases cordate orrounded Peersssssrrererersrettereneeieiit: 
1. Erect herb (rarely twining); leaflets entire, bases CUNCALC.........ssecseceeeeeeeeeseeseeseeseeseesenees 
*M. atropurpureum (DC.) Urban 
Twining annual or perennial vine. Vegetative parts 
sericeous except upper leaf surfaces which are 
sparsely so, hairs white with swollen bases. Stipules 
2-5 mm long. Leaf rachis to basal leaflets 35-60 mm, 
37-65 mm overall; leaflets strongly discolorous, ovate, 
elliptic, lanceolate or deltoid, irregularly lobed, the 
basal leaflets usually unequally so, 28-52 mm long, 
15-38 mm wide, L/W 1.2-1.8, base + cordate, apex 
acute or obtuse. Inflorescence to 350 mm long; flowers 
in upper third of rachis. Pedicels minute. Calyx 6-7.5 
mm long, sparsely tomentose. Standard c. 15 mm 
long; wings dark purple to almost black. Pod 60-80 
mm long. Seeds 8-12. Flowering and fruiting: most 
months. Fig. 27 Siratro 
Pantropical. Widespread in northern Australia in 
disturbed habitats. Introduced as a pasture species. 
M. atropurpureum 
M. lathyroides 
*M. lathyroides (L.) Urban 
Erect annual herb, sometimes climbing, to 1 m high; 
sparsely adpressed-hairy or glabrous except for the 
pod which is thinly sericeous. Stipules 7-9 mm long. 
Leaf rachis to basal leaflets 20-55 mm, 27-70 mm 
overall; leaflets slightly discolorous, lanceolate, 
deltoid or rarely elliptic, 30-68 mm long, 14-30 mm 
wide, L/W 1.9-3, entire, bases cuneate, apices obtuse 
to acute. Inflorescence to 440 mm long; flowers in 
upper half of rachis. Calyx 6-7 mm long. Standard 
c. 14 mm long; wings deep red. Pod 85-105 mm long, 
c. 3 mm wide. Seeds 16-30, 3-3.5 mm long, c. 2.5 
mm wide. Flowering: Dec - Mar; fruiting: Jan - July. 
Fig. 27 Phasey Bean 
A pantropical weed with a preference for heavy 
soils. Relatively common on the margins of coastal 
plains; also used for pasture improvement. 
MUCUNA Adans. 
Perennial vines with trailing or twining stems. Stipules caducous. Leaves pinnately 3-foliolate; leaflets 
discolorous, ovate, basal leaflets asymmetric. Stipels present. Inflorescence axillary, flowers crowded towards 
distal end of rachis, 1-3 per node; bracts and bracteoles caducous. Standard not reflexed, c. 1/2 as long as 
wings and keel, glabrous, auricles folded; wings hairy on outside towards base and fringed on lower margins, 
basal lobe thickened and folded; keel clawed. Stamens 9+1; anthers versatile, dimorphic, longer fixed near 
base, shorter dorsifixed. Staminodes 10, ligulate, connate in a whorl around base of ovary. Ovary hairy, ovules 
4-6. Stigma capitate. Pod woody, dehiscent, oblong, flattened, septate. Seeds transverse in pod, smooth, oblong 
to suborbicular, + carunculate, hilum linear. 
A pantropical genus of c. 100 species. Four species occur in Australia with 2 in the NT and DR. The long 
stiff hairs on the calyx and pod may cause irritation to the skin. 
1. Stems trailing on ground; leaves densely hairy below; 
pods <20 mm wide, without Wings ......:-ssessesseeseseseesessesssessessneesecnsecnscenecenesnnenneeanennes M. reptans 
1. Stems climbing; leaves glabrate; pods >20 mm wide, 4-winged .........sssessesesseseseeeeneene M. gigantea 
lower leaf surface and petiolules with scattered long 
M. gigantea (Willd.) DC. 
stiff simple hairs. Stipules lanceolate, c. 3 mm long. 
Twining, deciduous, woody vine. Stems, pulvini, 
