Tephrosia noctiflora Bojer ex Baker

Usually a shrub, but at least sometimes annual, 0.6-1.3(2) m high, the branches often widely spreading, sometimes almost prostrate. Young stems densely pubescent with appressed to spreading, grey to brown hairs (appressed and greyish in all material so far seen from the Flora Zambesiaca area). Leaves pinnate with (4)6-9(11) pairs of leaflets; petiole 0.5-1.4(2) cm long, petiole and rachis together (2)4-10(12) cm long, pubescent like the stem; leaflets (1)2-3.8(4.5) x (0.4)0.5-0.9(1.2) cm, narrowly obovate or sometimes narrowly elliptic, cuneate at the base, rounded to subacute at the apex; upper surface glabrous, lower surface appressed-pubescent; stipules 4-10 x 0.5-1 (2 in some Kenya specimens) mm, ± linear. Flowers in terminal (often appearing leaf-opposed), fairly lax racemes up to 25(30) cm long; bracts 2-6 x 0.5-1 mm, linear or linear-triangular; pedicels (3)4-5(6) mm long. Calyx (4)5-7(8) mm long, covered with appressed to ascending, brown or grey hairs, the lower tooth usually about twice as long; upper teeth short, connate for 1/2-3/4 their length. Petals 9-13 mm long, variously described as purplish-, bluish-or pinkish-white, reddish-purple, yellowish or yellow and brown. Staminal tube joined above. Ovary pubescent; style glabrous, twisted near the base so that the lower surface lies uppermost, with pencillate tip. Pods (42)45-55(60) x 4.5-7 mm, densely pubescent to villous, with brown or grey, loosely appressed or ascending, often geniculate hairs, often conspicuously darker at the margins. Seeds (6)8-10, 3.2-4.2 x 2-2.8 x 1-1.5 mm, oblongoid, brown, rugose, with the hilum and small aril more or less at the middle of one of the longer sides.

River banks, stony and rocky places and woodland; below 1,000 metres.

Can be grown by seedlings. Seeds needs soaking.