Flemingia prostrata Roxb. ex W.T.Aiton (1832: 338)

Do, Truong Van & Gao, Xin-Fen, 2020, Taxonomic revision of the genus Flemingia (Leguminosae) from Indo-Chinese floristic region, Phytotaxa 429 (1), pp. 1-38 : 23-24

9. Flemingia prostrata Roxb. ex W.T.Aiton (1832: 338) . Lectotype (designated by Do et al. 2019): Flowering specimen in Roxburgh drawing No. 1894

Flemingia philippinensis Merrill & Rolfe (1908: 103) . Type:—PHILLIPINE. Luzon: Lepanto, Cervantes to Mancayan, November 1905, Merrill 4460 (K-00709073!).

Subshrubs or prostrate, with a very short perennial woody stem and long annual triquetrous branches. Young branchlets trigonous-prismatic, densely grey tomentose. Petiole 1.5–4(–5) cm long, densely pubescent, narrowly winged; petiolules extremely short, densely pubescent. Stipules linear-lanceolate, 6–9 mm long, hairy, deciduous. Leaves digitately 3-foliolate; terminal leaflet oblong or ovate-lanceolate, 4–9 cm long, 1.5–3 cm wide, thickly papery, sparsely pubescent, basal veins 3, base rounded, apex obtuse to acute, sometimes with small mucro; lateral leaflets slightly smaller, oblique. Inflorescence racemose, axillary, usually 2–2.5 cm long, densely pale villous; bracts narrowly ovate-lanceolate; peduncle short. Flowers clustered. Calyx 7–8 mm long, lobes lanceolate, much longer than tube. Corolla subequalling the calyx, purple; standard oblong, shortly clawed, inconspicuously auriculate; wings falcate, clawed, both auriculate; keel elliptic, slightly curved, clawed, with acute auricle on one side. Ovary hairy. Pods elliptic, 7–10 mm long, 5–6 mm diam., pubescent, compressed. Seeds 2, black, suborbicular.

Iconography citation: — Wei (1995: 324): plate 78, figure 1.

Ecology and phenology: — Flemingia prostrata grows in secondary forest, open fields, and grasslands at 100– 500 m. Flowering from March to May, and fruiting from April to October.

Distribution: — Myanmar, China, Vietnam.

Notes: — Flemingia prostrata is clearly distinguished from the rest of the genus Flemingia within Indo-Chinese floristic region by having numerous prostrate branches and smaller leaf blade.

Representative specimens: — VIETNAM. VN-LX05377 (HN-0000027804). Hanoi: Dong Anh, Co Loa, May 1972, s.n. 00124 (HN). Ninh Binh: Dong Giao, Bai Sai , 10 June 1962, N.Q.Hao 3147 (HNU) . LAOS. Xiengkhouang: M.E.Poilane 2191 (P) ; Muong Soui-Muong You, M.E.Poilane 20089 (P); Na Mo-Muong Luong Nam Tha, M.E.Poilane 26216 (P). Vientiane: Ban Sa Phan Meuk, Vidal 1435 (P) . CHINA. Guangxi: H.Swith 1768 (IBK) ; C.W.Wang 88583 (IBK). Yunnan: Wuyuan, X.W.Tian et al. 293 (PE). Hunan: Yizhang Yiliu, M.X.Huang 113101 (WUK) ; Dongwo, D.G.Zhang et al. LXP 06-0155 (JIU); L.J.Lee 469 (IBSC). Guangdong: s.n. 2397 (IBSC) ; Lechang, Henan Xixiang, C.Huang 163248 (IBSC) ; Yingde, Wentang, X.Liang 60763 (IBSC); Wengyuan, Zhanyuan, Shangwon, X.Liu 24885 (IBSC). Hainan: X.Q.Liu 27717 (IBSC) .