Lablab Adans., Fam. Pl. 325. 1763; Verdc. in Milne-Redhead & Polhill, Fl. Trop. E. Afr. (Leguminosae 4) 696. 1971; Wu & Thulin, Fl. China 10: 253; Fl. Pak. @ eFloras.org p. 251.

Herbs perennial, twining or suberect. Leaves pinnately 3-foliate; stipules basifixed, reflexed, persistent; stipels lanceolate. Inflorescence axillary, falsely racemose, nodes of rachis swollen. Flowers bisexual, zygomorphic, 5-merous, perigynous, papilionaceous. Calyx campanulate, 2-lipped, upper lip entire or emarginate, lower 3-lobed. Corolla crimson, reddish, purple or white; vexillum orbicular, reflexed, auriculate at base, with 2 callosities (thickened areas) or appendages with beak on inner surface; wings broadly ovate; keel incurved at right angle. Stamens 10, diadelphous (9+1), vexillary stamen free, anthers uniform. Monocarpellary, ovary sessile, unilocular, 3-5 ovuled, placentation marginal; style abruptly upturned, laterally compressed, bearded in upper part; stigma terminal. Legumes obliquely oblong-falcate, compressed, with minute warts along both sutures, shallowly septate between seeds within, septa spongy. Seeds ovoid, slightly compressed, with white aril.

One species

Lablab purpureus (L.) Sweet, Hort. Brit. ed. 1. 481. 1826; Fl. China @ eFloras.org 10: 253; Fl. Pak. @ eFliras.org p. 251; Dolichos purpureus L., Sp. Pl. ed. 2, 2: 1021. 1763; Dolichos lablab L., Sp. Pl. 725. 1753; Lablab niger Medic., Vorels Churpf. Phys. Ges. 2:354. 1787; L. vulgaris Savi, Nuov. Giom. Lett. (Pisa). 8: 116. t. 8a-c. 1824.

Herbs, twiners, younger parts hairy. Stems up to 6 m, usually purplish. Stipules 3 mm long, lanceolate. Leaves pinnately 3-foliate; petiole 5-8 cm long; rachis ca. 2 cm long with adaxial groove; leaf base pulvinate; terminal leaflet larger, ca. 9 cm x 7 cm, rhomboid, deltoid, ovate, acuminate; lateral leaflets smaller, ca. 7.5 cm x 5 cm, oblique, base subtruncate, apex acute or acuminate; petiolules ca. 5 mm; stipels (below terminal leaflet) ca. 3mm long, linear, hairy. Inflorescence racemes erect, axillary, up to 14 cm long, peduncle 8-9 cm long; flowers arranged in pairs (binate), opposite; bracts 3-4 mm long, deciduous; bracteoles 2-4 mm long, acute, linear-lanceolate, hairy. Flowers bisexual, zygomorphic, 5-merous, perigynous, +/-1.5 cm long, pink, blue or white; pedicels 3-4 mm long. Calyx 2-lipped, upper lip 2-lobed, lower 3-lobed; tube ca. 5 mm long; lobes ca. 8 mm long, green, hairy without. Corolla papilionaceous, pink, blue and white coloured; vexillum 1 cm x 1.6-1.8 cm, orbicular, reflexed, auriculate at base, with 2 callosities on inner surface; wings broadly ovate, ca. 1.5 cm x 0.8 cm; keel incurved at right angle, nearly equal to wings, base attenuate. Stamens 10, diadelphous (9+1), vexillary stamen free, staminal sheath ca. 1.2 cm long, anthers uniform. Ovary ca. 1 cm long, flat, hairy, cylindrical, creamish disc around the base of ovary, unilocular, 3-5 ovuled, placentation marginal; style ca. 1 cm long, abruptly upturned, laterally compressed, bearded in upper part; stigma simple. Legumes oblong-falcate, 5-11cm x 1.4-1.8 cm, compressed, beaked, warts on both sutures. Seeds 3-5, white, purple or purple black, oblong, hilum linear.

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