CICER

Cicer L., Sp. Pl. 738. 1753; Gen. Pl. ed. 5. 327. 1754; Popov, Bull. Appl. Bot. Gen pl. Breed. 21: 3. 1929; Baker in Hook. f., Fl. Brit. Ind. 2: 176. 1879; vander Maesen, Medd. Landbouwhogesch. Wageningen, 72(10): 1-342. 1972.

Perennial or annual erect or prostrate herbs or undershrubs. Leaf mostly pinnately compound, terminal leaflet sometimes modified into a tendril or spine; leaflets dentate; stipules foliaceous, toothed or divided or spiny; stipels absent. Inflorescence axillary, solitary or few flowered; flowers bisexual, zygomorphic, 5-merous, perigynous; bracts small, bracteoles absent. Calyx tube oblique or gibbous, lobes subequal. Vexillum narrowed into a broad claw, appendages absent. Stamens diadelphous (9+1), vexillary stamen free, anthers uniform. Monocarpellary, ovary 2-few-ovuled, placentation marginal; style not bearded; stigma terminal. Fruit sessile, oblong to ellipsoid to linear-oblong, inflated. Seeds irregular ovoid.

45 species

Cicer arietinum

Cicer arietinum L., Sp. Pl. 738. 1753; Baker in Hook. f., Fl. Brit. Ind. 2: 176. 1879; Verdcourt in Milne-Redhead & Polhill, Fl. Trop. E. Afr. (Leguminosae 4) 1065. 1971

Annual herb, erect, up to 1 m tall, branched. Stem glandular pubescent. Leaves alternate, imparipinnately compound; leaflets 7-17, 7-19 mm x 4-10 mm, terminal leaflet larger than others, mostly elliptic, serrate, acute, mucronate, glandular pubescent; petiole very short. Stipules foliaceous, 2- or 3-fid, 3-5 mm x 2-4 mm; rachis and petiole with adaxial groove. Inflorescence axillary, solitary, peduncle 5-10 mm long. Flowers bisexual, zygomorphic, 5-merous, perigynous; pedicel 5-10 mm long; a whorl of 5 bracts (connate at base) at the junction of peduncle and pedicel, bracts 2-3 mm long. Sepals 5, fused, calyx 7-9 mm long; tube ca. 2.5 mm long, oblique; lobes subequal, longer than tube, lanceolate, acute, glandular pubescent. Corolla 5, papilionaceous, white to purple; vexillum obovate or suborbicular, 8-11 mm x 7-10 mm, narrowed into a broad claw, apex emarginate, appendages absent; wings 6-9 mm x 2.5 mm, obovate with an auriculate base; keel 6-8 mm long. Stamens 10, diadelphous (9+1), vexillary stamen free; staminal sheath 4-5 mm long; free part of filaments 2-3 mm long; anthers uniform. Ovary ovate, hairy, unilocular with 1-4 ovules, placentation marginal; style 3-4 mm long, linear, slightly incurved, pubescent; stigma small, capitate, orange. Legumes ca. 2-3.5 cm x 1-1.5 cm, with persistent calyx, beaked, oblong, inflated, drooping, 1-2 seeded, glandular pubescent.

Flowering and Fruiting: February to April
Common Names: Chick Pea, Gram, Bengal Gram, White chick Pea, Gram Chick Pea; Chana, Kabli Chana, Black Chana (Hindi)