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Leguminosae
Synonyms
R. flavissima (Hochst.) Hochst. ex Bak.
Characteristics
An almost glabrous twiner. Central leaflet broad-ovate, 2.5
to 4 cm long; lateral leaflets very unequal sided, both surfaces glabrous,
or the lower slightly grey-silky when young and dotted with golden glands.
Yellow, 1.5-cm flowers in lax, 6- to 12-flowered racemes, 5 to 10 cm long
on spreading peduncles. Pod gradually narrowed to the base, 2 cm long,
glabrous when mature. It is indigenous to the Sudan (Andrews, 1952) and
to Masailand, Tanzania. In nursery plots at Kongwa, Tanzania, it grew well
to a height of 0.6 m and persisted under the low rainfall conditions (575
mm). Anderson and Naveh (1968) listed it as a promising legume for the
semi-arid livestock areas. In cutting trials at three sites in northern
Tanzania, type No. T1963 averaged 12 078 kg. DM/ha/year from an average
of four cuts per year. It is not as palatable as glycine, but is eaten
and is more persistent.
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