114 FABACEAE Vigna 
brown. Stipules cordate, striate, 4-6 mm long. Leaves 
sometimes appearing digitate; rachis to basal leaflets 
15-53 mm, 20-85 mm overall; hairs of the rachis 
retrorse to patent; Jeaflets discolorous, linear- 
lanceolate to ovate, 33-150 mm long, 4-12 mm wide, 
L/W 7.5-24; venation reticulate with prominent 
looping 2° veins; scabrous with antrorse hairs or hairs 
spreading. Inflorescence axillary, racemose, peduncles 
to 260 mm long, retrorsely hairy; flowers 1-4, 
clustered at swollen, glandular apex. Calyx 7-10 mm 
long, lobes 1/2 total length; prominently veined, 
antrorsely hairy. Corolla mauve; standard asymmetric, 
1. Leaflets linear-lanceolate, 7.5-24 times as long as wide 
1. Leaflets lanceolate or ovate, 2-3.2 times as long as wide 
V. vexillata var. angustifolia (Schum. & Thonn.) Baker 
Rachis to basal leaflets 43-53 mm, 52-85 mm overall, 
hairs of the rachis retrorse; leaflets linear-lanceolate, 
70-150 mm long, 4-12 mm wide, L/W 7.5-24. 
Found in the Old World tropics including tropical 
Australia. Common in the DR on well drained sites 
in open habitats. 
broader than long, 15-19 mm long; wings shortly 
clawed, keel petals twisted to one side, one petal with 
a prominent spur. Pod dark brown, linear, cylindrical, 
80-120 mm long, 4-5 mm wide, antrorsely hairy, 
valves spirally twisting at dehiscence. Seeds red- 
brown, mottled. Flowering: Nov - May; fruiting: 
Apr - June. Fig. 32 
The tuber is eaten raw or after cooking (Altman, 
1984; Russell-Smith, 1985; Smith & Wightman, 1990) 
and is mashed to treat abdominal wounds (Scarlett et 
al., 1982). Raw tubers cure diarrhoea (Levitt, 1981). 
Two varieties are recognised. 
var. angustifolia 
var. vexillata 
V. vexillata var. vexillata 
Rachis to basal leaflets 15-42 mm, 20-52 mm 
overall; leaflets lanceolate or ovate, 33-65 mm long, 
12-31 mm wide, L/W 2-3.2. 
Widespread throughout the tropics including 
tropical Australia. Relatively uncommon in the DR; 
on well drained sites in open savanna habitats. 
ZORNIA J.G.Gmelin 
Annual or perennial herbs with annual aerial parts. Hairs simple; pellucid glands often present on vegetative 
parts. Stipules peltate, persistent (except Z. chaetophora), prominently nerved. Leaves digitately 2-foliolate; 
stipels absent. Juvenile leaflets (rarely present), broader than the adults. Inflorescence a terminal or axillary 
spike. Bracts paired, peltate, prominently nerved, enclosing the flowers. Bracteoles absent. Calyx membranous, 
5-lobed, the 2 upper lobes connate for the most part, ciliate. Corolla yellow, glabrous; petals all clawed; 
standard suborbicular, without auricles or calli; wings lamellate; keel incurved. Stamens connate into a tube, 
the tube circumsciss in upper part, the basal part persisting; anthers alternately long and fixed near base, and 
short and versatile. Ovary sessile, ovules numerous. Style glabrous; stigma terminal, minute. Pod of 2-9 
indehiscent articles. Seeds ecarunculate. 
Pantropical, c. 75 species worldwide. In Australia 17 species, 10 in the NT, 7 in the DR. [Reynolds & 
Holland, 1989] 
1. [eafletsilineare>6, times‘asilong'as,widextssmsiattitintt ite ae 2 
1. eatletsmotlinearr<Sitimes‘asjlong:as-widessnenreatinictiirecessnitiecteiteteres 4 
2. —_ Bristles on fruit conspicuous, to 3.5 mm ION ...eesesseesseessesssecssssssecsecsssesseccseessecsseecsecsseceses Z. chaetophora 
2: » Bristles on fruitsinconspicuous,:c. 0:5 mm JONG ssisesccsscsesscacsesscoecsocecssssessrvceesecssssznsseescesseess 3 
3 Seem ntlorescence|bracts,9-LLemnnlong messsterererereststeiitec Trier permenn ni ieinirtrnentten reir Ts Z. acuta 
3 See ntlorescenceibracts:J=/zmm longa nme teeter TTT Z. areolata 
4. Inflorescencesbractsreglandularsemrmrermicrt tr rir rteresresrerietirt creetcsiayt een Teer 5 
4) sIntlorescencetbracts:pellucid-glandulanatis-smrseratecetirtceratitcctene neti 6 
