Common name: Wild Cow Pea
Vigna vexillata (L.) A.Rich. APNI* Description: Climbing or trailing perennial; stems to c. 2 m long, sparsely to densely hairy.
Leaves 3-foliolate; leaflets linear, narrow-lanceolate to ovate, 3–-16 cm long, 5–15 mm wide, apex acute to acuminate, ± hairy; petiole 2–5 cm long; stipules lanceolate, ± cordate at base, mostly 5–8 mm long.
Racemes 2–4-flowered; peduncles 5–35 cm long. Calyx tube 5–7 mm long, teeth mostly 2–8 mm long. Corolla yellow, pink or purple; standard 20–30 mm long; keel incurved with pocket on one side.
Pods erect, terete, 4–14 cm long; seeds 10–18.
Flowering: spring–summer.
Distribution and occurrence: Grows in moist sites, often along roadsides, north from the Blue Mtns.
NSW subdivisions: NC, CC
Other Australian states: Qld N.T.
Text by C. Gardner & T. A. James
Taxon concept:
| | Key to the varieties | |
| 1 | Leaflets narrow, 2–14 cm long, 2–14 mm wide. | var. angustifolia |
| Leaflets broad, 3.5–7 cm long, 15–30 mm wide. | var. youngiana |
APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data
***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.
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