100 FABACEAE 
coloured, tubercular based bristles to 2.5 mm long. 
Internodes long except at distal ends of stems where 
the leaves are clustered. Stipules persistent, produced 
almost equally above and below the point of 
attachment, brown, 14-16 mm long, membranous, 
striate. Leaves alternate, paripinnate, sensitive to 
touch; rachis to basal leaflets 1-3 mm, 11-25 mm long 
overall including terminal bristle; stipels absent; 
leaflets in 4-8 pairs, discolorous, oblong, 7-12 mm 
long, 2-3 mm wide, L/W 3.3-4.8, dotted with 
puncticulate glands, base oblique, apex acute. Flowers 
in congested terminal fascicles of 1-4 flowers, 
enclosed in upper leaves; bracts persistent, brown, 
membranous, striate, ovate, long acuminate, 5-6 mm 
long. Pedicels c. 1 mm long; bracteoles similar to 
Smithia 
bracts. Calyx 7-10 mm long; deeply 2-lipped, 
obscurely lobed, eventually enclosing the fruit, upper 
lip almost glabrous. Corolla yellow; standard 8-10 
mm long, straight, glabrous; wings transversely 
lamellate. Pod articulated, pale brown, mottled, 
moniliform, concertina’d, c. 5 mm long; articles 3-6, 
globular, inflated, thin walled, indehiscent, 
tuberculate, glabrous. Seeds pale brown, subglobular, 
ce. 1 mm long, 1 mm wide; hilum eccentric, minute; 
ecarunculate. Flowering: Mar - June; fruiting: Apr - 
June. Fig. 29 
Occurs from India to tropical Qld and the NT, 
typically on the margins of floodplains and habitats 
which are moist into the dry season. In the DR, known 
only from the Adelaide R. 
SOPHORA L. 
Trees or shrubs with a tomentum of simple hairs. Stipules present or absent. Leaves imparipinnate with 
many leaflets. Stipels absent. Inflorescence of many-flowered racemes. Bracteoles absent. Floral whorls joined 
at the base into a short tube, encircling but free from the ovary. Calyx cupular, shallowly 5-lobed. Corolla 
glabrous; standard spathulate; wings and keel petals long-clawed; wings narrow, lamellate; keel petals 
overlapping and adhering at apex. Stamens 10, free, arising from rim of the floral tube; filaments dilated at 
base. Ovary shortly stipitate, appressed-hairy, few- to many-ovuled. Pod indehiscent (in NT spp.), moniliform. 
Seeds globose or ellipsoid; hilum eccentric; ecarunculate. 
About 50 spp. worldwide with 5 species in Australia (Qld, NSW, NT), 2 in the NT and | in the DR. Both NT 
species are treated here. 
E Plant densely tomentose; flowers yellow ..........::0:000 
1. Plant glabrate; flowers mauve or purple ............::+000+ 
S. longipes Merr. 
Perennial shrub to 1 m high, often with annual 
aerial parts. Glabrate, hairs hyaline. Stipules minute, 
+ persistent. Leaf rachis to 300 mm long; leaflets 
in 5-8 pairs, discolorous, elliptic, ovate or obovate, 
34-69 mm long, 15-37 mm wide, L/W 1.3-2.2. 
Inflorescence axillary and terminal, to 390 mm 
long; bracts minute, setaceous. Pedicels 6-9 mm 
long. Calyx 5-7.5 mm long, lobes c. 1/4 of total 
length. Corolla mauve or purple, wings lobed each 
side at base. Ovules 6-9. Pod 80-105 mm long, 
4.5-7 mm wide. Seeds 1-4, pale brown, ellipsoid, c. 7 
mm long, 5 mm wide. Flowering and fruiting: 
Mar - Oct. Fig. 29 
Known from SE Asia to the Top End of the NT. 
In the DR found along the Adelaide R. in gallery 
forest. 
S. tomentosa 
S. longipes 
S. tomentosa L. 
Evergreen shrub or small tree to 3.5 m 
high. All parts except corolla white-tomentose. 
Stipules absent. Leaf rachis to 250 mm long; 
leaflets in 6-10 pairs, discolorous, elliptic, ovate or 
oblong, often slightly asymmetric, 20-48 mm long, 
12-29 mm wide, L/W 1.3-2.5. Inflorescence terminal, 
to 450 mm long; bracts linear, caducous, 2-4 mm 
long. Pedicels 5-8 mm long. Calyx 4-6 mm long, 
lobes minute. Corolla yellow; standard c. 18 mm 
long. Ovules c. 11. Pod persistent, 70-160 mm 
long, c. 10 mm wide. Seeds 1-9, brown, globose, 
7-8 mm diam. Flowering: Feb - Jun; fruiting: all 
months. Fig. 29 
Warm regions of the Old World; in Australia in the 
NT and Qld; not in the DR. In coastal habitats such 
as sand dunes and mangrove fringes. 
