Melolobium

Life-forms

Classification System: APG IV

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Plantae
Cladus: Angiosperms
Cladus: Eudicots
Cladus: Core eudicots
Cladus: Rosids
Cladus: Eurosids I
Ordo: Fabales

Familia: Fabaceae
Subfamilia: Faboideae
Tribus: Genisteae
Genus: Melolobium
Species: M. adenodes – M. aethiopicum – M. alpinum – M. calycinum – M. candicans – M. exudans – M. glanduliferum – M. humile – M. karasbergense – M. lampolobum – M. macrocalyx – M. microphyllum – M. obcordatum – M. stipulatum – M. subspicatum – M. villosum – M. wilmsii
Source(s) of checklist:
Name

Melolobium Eckl. & Zeyh. (1836)

Type species: non design.

Synonyms

Sphingium E.Mey.

Distribution
Native distribution areas:

Continental: Africa
Regional: Southern Africa
Botswana, Cape Provinces, Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, Lebanon-Syria, Lesotho, Namibia, Northern Provinces

References: Brummitt, R.K. 2001. TDWG – World Geographical Scheme for Recording Plant Distributions, 2nd Edition
References
Primary references

Ecklon, C.F. & Zeyher, C. 1836-1837. Enumeratio plantarum africae australis extratropicae. Pars 2 & 3. Pp.145–400. Hamburg. BHL Reference page. : 188.

Additional references

Moteetee A. & Van Wyk B.E. 2006. A revision of the genus Melolobium (Genisteae, Fabacaeae). S. Afr. J. Bot. 72. 51-98.

Links

Govaerts, R. et al. 2021. Melolobium in Kew Science Plants of the World online. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2021 Jan 30. Reference page.
International Plant Names Index. 2021. Melolobium. Published online. Accessed: Jan 30 2021.
Tropicos.org 2021. Melolobium. Missouri Botanical Garden. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2021 Jan 30.
Hassler, M. 2021. Melolobium. World Plants: Synonymic Checklists of the Vascular Plants of the World In: Roskovh, Y., Abucay, L., Orrell, T., Nicolson, D., Bailly, N., Kirk, P., Bourgoin, T., DeWalt, R.E., Decock, W., De Wever, A., Nieukerken, E. van, Zarucchi, J. & Penev, L., eds. 2021. Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2021 Jan 30. Reference page.

Vernacular names

Melolobium is a genus of 15[2] species of flowering plants belonging to the legume family, Fabaceae. It is native to southern Africa, where it is found in south and east Namibia, southwest Botswana, and most of South Africa.

These plants are perennial herbs and small shrubs. Many are spiny. The leaves have three leaflets. The inflorescence is a terminal raceme of flowers. The flowers are yellow, sometimes fading orange or purple.[2]
Species

Melolobium comprises the following species:[3][4][5]

Melolobium accedens Burtt Davy
Melolobium adenodes Eckl. & Zeyh.
Melolobium aethiopicum (L.) Druce
Melolobium alpinum Eckl. & Zeyh.
Melolobium burchellii N.E. Br.
Melolobium calycinum Benth.
Melolobium canaliculatum (E. Mey.) Benth.
Melolobium candicans (E. Mey.) Eckl. & Zeyh.
Melolobium canescens (E. Mey.) Benth.
Melolobium decorum Dummer
Melolobium decumbens (E. Mey.) Burtt Davy
Melolobium exudans Harv.
Melolobium glanduliferum Dummer
Melolobium humile Eckl. & Zeyh.
Melolobium karasbergense L. Bolus
Melolobium macrocalyx Dummer
Melolobium microphyllum (L. f.) Eckl. & Zeyh.
Melolobium mixtum Dummer
Melolobium obcordatum Harv.
Melolobium parviflorum Benth.
Melolobium peglerae Dummer
Melolobium stipulatum (Thunb.) Harv.
Melolobium subspicatum Conrath
Melolobium velutinum E. Mey.
Melolobium villosum Harms
Melolobium viscidulum Steud.
Melolobium wilmsii Harms

Species names with uncertain taxonomic status

The status of the following species is unresolved:[5]

Melolobium collinum Eckl. & Zeyh.
Melolobium lampolobum (E.Mey.) Moteetee & B.-E.van Wyk
Melolobium macrocalyx Dümmer
Melolobium spicatum Eckl. & Zeyh.
Melolobium squarrosum Eckl. & Zeyh.

References

Cardoso D, Pennington RT, de Queiroz LP, Boatwright JS, Van Wyk BE, Wojciechowski MF, Lavin M (2013). "Reconstructing the deep-branching relationships of the papilionoid legumes". S Afr J Bot. 89: 58–75. doi:10.1016/j.sajb.2013.05.001.
Moteetee, A., & van Wyk, B. E. (2006). A revision of the genus Melolobium (Genisteae, Fabacaeae). South African Journal of Botany, 72(1), 51-98.
"ILDIS LegumeWeb entry for Melolobium". International Legume Database & Information Service. Cardiff School of Computer Science & Informatics. Retrieved 15 April 2014.
USDA; ARS; National Genetic Resources Program. "GRIN species records of Melolobium". Germplasm Resources Information Network—(GRIN) [Online Database]. National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland. Retrieved 15 April 2014.
"The Plant List entry for Melolobium". The Plant List. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and the Missouri Botanical Garden. 2013. Retrieved 15 April 2014.