Psoralea pinnata L.

Robust, shrub or tree to 5 m tall; forming dense colonies, reseeder. Stems erect single to few, branching in lower portion, spreading or arching, rigid, branches and twigs angular, sparsely hairy when immature, yellowish tan with storied white lenticels when young, becoming grey with age. Seasonal shoots pubescent pale green. Leaves (5)7-9-foliolate, number variable at different stages of growth, crowded at the ends of bare branches on older shoots, or distributed along younger shoots, erect or patent, petiolate; leaflets 15-35 x 0.5-1 mm, villoso-pubescent, linear lanceolate, apex acute, base cuneate, terminal leaflet shortest, basal pair longest, three uppermost pinnately inserted; petioles 3-7 mm long; rachis 10-15 mm long; stipules 3-4 x 1-2 mm, persistent, shorter than petiole, narrowly triangular, or triangular, fused for most of their length, overlapping like short stacked planks, persistent becoming woody with age, margins incurled, subulate, slightly pubescent, Inflorescences axillary, borne in upper axils of seasonal shoots but with leafy extension, pseudo-spicate, or pseudocapitate, congested, 1-flower per axil, but fasciculate, 1-10 (20) on short shoots, with or without distinct peduncle and pedicel; peduncles where present, stout and rigid, 2-3 mm long; cupulum trilobed, large, 3 mm long, sparsely white haired, margins ciliate with few black hairs, overlapping the base of the calyx, lobes subequally developed, carinal longer than other two, acuminate; pedicels where present 1-(2) mm long. Flowers 13-14 mm long, subtended by a 3 mm cucullate bract, clasping the oldest flower, pale mauve to pale blue, always hidden within the subtending leaflet, weakly scented or odourless. Calyx 6-7 mm long, tube 4-5 x 5 mm, glabrescent, mainly white-haired but also with black hairs on margins, or a mixture of black and white hairs, yellowish green; lobes sub-equally developed, shorter than the calyx tube, dark green, carinal longest, ovate-acute to triangular, vexillar lobes acute, straight, triangular, fused for less than quarter their length, inner face covered with bristle white hairs; ribs present, distinctly thickened with dense glands than any other part of the calyx; glands present, constant in size. Standard petal 12-14 x 10-11 mm, obovate, white suffused with pale mauve in the central area and with a single purple 3-4 mm long flash situated between and above the free swollen callosities at the top rim of the claw, auricles present, swollen, veins hyaline; claw 4-5 mm long, channelled. Wing petals 12-13 x 4 mm, longer than keel petals, white to pale mauve, blade folded and puckered along its mid-lines, sculpturing present, basal, comprised of 2-3 rows of 10-14 transcostal lamellae; claw 5 mm long. Keel 11 x 3.5-4.0 mm, blade ridged for 3 mm from base, white to pale mauve; claw 7 mm long. Androecium 11-12 mm long, tenth stamen shortly united with staminal sheath adaxially. Pistil 12 mm long, stipe 1 mm long, ovary 2 mm long, covered in club-shaped glands, style 6 mm long straight, then up curved, widest at point of flexure, height of curvature of style 23 mm, stigma penicillate. Fruits 4-5 x 2.5-3.0 mm, oblong. Seeds 2-4 mm, dark brown to black.

Along the sides of streams and in moist places.

The source or a light good flavoured honey.

Can be grown by seedlings. Seeds needs soaking.