FoI
Shrubby Stylo
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Shrubby Stylo
P Introduced Photo: Dinesh Valke
Common name: Shrubby Stylo • Malayalam: നിലത്തുവര nilththuvara
Botanical name: Stylosanthes scabra    Family: Fabaceae (Pea family)
Synonyms: Stylosanthes nervosa, Stylosanthes suffruticosa, Stylosanthes tuberculata

Shrubby Stylo is an erect to sub-erect shrubby perennial up to 2 m tall, with strong, deep taproot up to 4 m. Young stems vary from green to reddish in colour, depending on the strain; usually with dense hairs and bristles, and viscid, becoming woodier with age. Leaves are trifoliolate, leaflets hairy on both surfaces, elliptic to oblong-lanceolate, pale green to dark green and dark blue-green in colour; terminal leaflet 2.0-3.3 cm long, 4-12 mm wide. Inflorescence is an axillary or terminal, shortly elongate spike, 1-3 cm long, comprising several pale to darker yellow flowers. 2-segmented pod, both segments usually fertile; the upper segment 4-5 mm long (including recurved beak or hook 1-2 mm long), and the lower segment 2-3 mm long; seeds asymmetrically kidney-shaped, up to 2 mm long, pale to light brown. Shrubby Stylo is native to South America.

Identification credit: Anil Rajbhar Photographed at Gudampara, Munnar, Kerala.

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