Verdesmum H.Ohashi & K.Ohashi, J. Jap. Bot. 87 (2012) 301. — Type: Desmodium hentyi Verdc (= Verdesmum hentyi (Verdc.) H.Ohashi & K.Ohashi).
Shrubs. Stipules present. Leaves pinnately 3-foliolate, rarely unifoliolate. Stipellae present. Inflorescences axillary or caulinascent, pseudoracemes, several ones arising from old nodes at base or lower part of stem. Flowers 2–4 per brachyblast, sometimes with 2–4 buds. Bracts to brachyblasts and to flowers present. Pedicels densely hairy with hooked hairs. Bracteoles minute, at apex of pedicel. Calyx broadly cup-shaped, bilabiate, upper lip bidentate, lower lip tridentate, median tooth longest. Corolla: standard without callosities. Stamens monadelphous. Disc absent. Ovary glabrous, stipitate; style incurved, stigma terminal, expanded, broadly funnel-shaped, uneven at apex. Pods (loments) linear, articulate, hairy with hooked hairs; articles narrowly obovate-elliptic or narrowly oblong; isthmi central, very narrow.
Distribution — A monotypic genus with a single species in Malesia: Papua New Guinea and Borneo.
Image (herbarium specimen) in Plants of the World Online for Verdesmum
1. Verdesmum hentyi (Verdc.) H.Ohashi & K.Ohashi
Verdesmum hentyi (Verdc.) H.Ohashi & K.Ohashi, J. Jap. Bot. 87 (2012) 303. — Desmodium hentyi Verdc., Kew Bull. 32 (1977) 240. — Hanslia hentyi (Verdc.) H.Ohashi, J. Jap. Bot. 79 (2004) 155, fig. 5. — Type: NGF (Henty) 11922 (holo LAE (seen photo in K); iso BRI), Papua New Guinea, Morobe Province, near Lae, Atzera Range.
Shrubs. Stems 0.6–2 m high, glabrous. Stipules narrowly ovate, c. 11.5 by 1.5 mm, soon caducous. Petiole 23–60 mm long, glabrous; rachis mostly as the petiole, 14–25 mm long; pulvinus 4–5 mm long, sparsely pubescent, glabrescent. Stipellae acicular, 4–5.5 mm long. Leaflets: terminal one elliptic, 16.5–20 by 6–8.5 cm, 2.5–2.8 times as long as wide, base cuneate, apex acuminate, both sides glabrous, lateral nerves 5–6 pairs, anastomosing near the margin; lateral leaflets mostly as the terminal one, 8.2–15 by 2.6–4.2 cm, 3.1–4.5 times as long as wide, slightly oblique at base. Inflorescences 15.8–26 cm long; peduncles 1–5 cm long, sparsely patent uncinate puberulent. Bracts to brachyblasts narrowly triangular, 3–4 by c. 1 mm, with hooked hairs, early caducous. Brachyblasts 0.5–1.5 mm long. Bracts to the flowers, acicular, c. 0.5 mm long. Pedicels 2–3.5 mm long in flower, 12–15 mm long in fruit, sparsely uncinate puberulent. Bracteoles filiform, 0.6–1 mm long, early caducous. Calyx c. 3 mm long, tube c. 2 mm long; lateral teeth broadly triangular, c. 0.7 mm long, median tooth broadly triangular, c. 1 mm long, outside sparsely hooked hairy. Corolla: standard reddish purple, wings and keel-petals pale pink. Keel petals: claw c. 2 mm long; blade incurved, c. 8 mm long, apex acute. Ovary glabrous; style filiform, c. 2 mm long, incurved, glabrous; stigma c. 0.2 by 0.4–0.6 mm. Pods (loments) 5.6–12 mm long, stipe 1.5–2 cm long, articles 2–4, 2.8–3 by 4–6 mm, with minute, hooked hairs, lateral surfaces reticulate-veined. — Fig. 165.
Distribution — Malesia: Borneo, Papua New Guinea (Central, Morobe Prov.)