Sesbania sericea (Willd.) Link
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Authority
Acevedo-Rodríguez, Pedro & collaborators. 1996. Flora of St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 78: 1-581.
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Family
Fabaceae
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Scientific Name
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Description
Species Description - Shrub to 3 m tall, many-branched along main stem, the stems reddish-tinged, sericeous-villous. Leaves 5-12 cm long; leaflets 5-15 pairs, 1-2.5 x 0.3-0.8 cm, oblong to elliptic, chartaceous, sericeous on lower surface, the apex mucronulate, rounded, the base rounded, slightly asymmetric, the margins entire; petiolules ca. 1 mm long; rachis grooved along upper surface; stipules awlshaped, 4-5 mm long. Racemes axillary, to 6 cm long, fewflowered. Calyx broadly bell-shaped, 3-5 mm long; corolla yellow, the standard to 12 mm long, widely ovate, the wings and keel as long as the standard. Legume 12-16 cm long and 2.5-3 mm wide, linear, slightly curved, cylindrical, long-tipped at apex, tardily dehiscent. Seeds many, ca. 3 mm long, cylindrical, light brown.
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Distribution
An occasional weed of open disturbed areas. Enighed (A3925), Fish Bay (A2475). Also on St. Croix and St. Thomas; native to Sri Lanka, now a widespread weed throughout the tropics.
Sri Lanka Saint Thomas Virgin Islands of the United States South America| Saint Croix Virgin Islands of the United States South America|