Tephrosia glomeruliflora, or pink tephrosia, is a perennial (non-climbing) herb in the family Fabaceae, endemic to South Africa (native to Zimbabwe, South Africa and Eswatini). It is also found on the eastern coast of Australia, in New South Wales and Queensland, where it is considered an environmental weed.
Tephrosia glomeruliflora is an erect shrub growing to 1âÂÂ2 m high. Its branches are hairy with the hairs lying close to the branch. The pinnate leaves are 5âÂÂ12 cm long; and there are 11-21 leaflets which are 15âÂÂ40 mm long and 5âÂÂ10 mm wide with an obtuse apex finishing in a tiny sharp point. The upper surface of the leaflets is sparsely hairy with the hairs pressed close to the leaflet, and the lower surface is silky-hairy. The petiole is 10âÂÂ20 mm long. The stipules are ovate and 6âÂÂ10 mm long. It flowers in terminal racemes, with clusters of buds enclosed on broad bracts. The calyx is silvery (from the hairs) and 4âÂÂ5 mm long, with teeth which are 1âÂÂ1.5 mm long. The corolla is 15âÂÂ20 mm long and pink to mauve. The pod is 5âÂÂ7 cm long and 7âÂÂ9 mm wide, and smooth except for the hairy sutures.
The genus name, Tephrosia, derives from the Greek tephros (ash-coloured) and refers to the fact that most of the species are covered with grey hairs. The species epithet, glomeruliflora, derives from the Latin, glomerulus, (clusters of flowers subtended by a bract), and flos (flower).
In Africa, it grows in grasslands.