Black-Spike Milk-Vetch is a perennial herb, about
10-60 cm tall, branched from almost the base, stem hairless. Leaf are
compound, carried on 1.2-5.0 cm long stalk. Rachis is about 1.2-5.0 cm
long, leaflets 11-15, oblong or elliptic, about 3-18 mm long, 3-6 mm
broad, entire, retuse, hairless above, sparingly pubescent or glabrous
below. Stipules are about 3-8 mm long, fused. Inflorescence is an
axillary stalked raceme, carried on 2.5-20 cm long, black, velvety
stalk. Bracts are about 4-6 mm long, black-velvety. Sepal cup is
3.5-4.5 mm long, densely black-velvety, or hairs black and white, teeth
about 2.2-2.5 mm long. Flowers are red or pale pink. Standard petal is
about 7 mm long. Wing about 5-6 mm long. Keel about 4-5 mm long, Fruit
is about 4-5 mm long, globular or ovoid, densely black-pubescent,
unilocular, 2-seeded. Black-Spike Milk-Vetch is found in Pakistan,
Kashmir; N. Punjab, Kumaun, Garhwal, Tibet, Russia, Afghanistan.
Flowering: June-August.
Identification credit: Tabish, Krishan Lal
Photographed in Lahaul-Spiti, Himachal Pradesh.
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The flower labeled Black-Spike Milk-Vetch is ...