Egyptian Riverhemp

Nile region, Oases, Mediterranean region, Sinai, (El- Arish - Rafah).

Old World tropica, Naturalized, Introduced elsewhere.

A native of tropical Africa and Asia, now cultivated and naturalised in the tropics.

200-400 m

Perennial, Shrubs, Stems woody below, or from woody crown or caudex, Taproot present, Nodules present, Stems erect or ascending, Stems less than 1 m tall, Stems 1-2 m tall, Stems greater than 2 m tall, Stems solid, Stems or young twigs glabrous or sparsely glabrate, Stems or young twigs sparsely to densely hairy, Leaves alternate, Leaves petiolate, Stipules inconspicuous, absent, or caducous, Stipules setiform, subulate or acicular, Stipules deciduous, Stipules free, Leaves compound, Leaves even pinnate, Leaf or leaflet margins e ntire, Leaflets opposite, Stipels present at base of leaflets, Leaflets 10-many, Leaves hairy on one or both surfaces, Inflorescences racemes, Inflorescence axillary, Bracteoles present, Flowers zygomorphic, Calyx 5-lobed, Calyx hairy, Petals separate, Corolla papilionaceous, Petals clawed, Petals orange or yellow, Petals bicolored or with red, purple or yellow streaks or spots, Banner petal suborbicular, broadly rounded, Banner petal auriculate, Banner petal spurred, Wing petals narrow, oblanceolate to oblong, Wing petals auriculate, Wing tips obtuse or rounded, Keel petals auriculate, spurred, or gibbous, Keel abruptly curved, or spirally coiled, Keel tips obtuse or rounded, not beaked, Stamens 9-10, Stamens diadelphous, 9 united, 1 free, Filaments glabrous, Style terete, Fruit a legume, Fruit stipitate, Fruit unilocular, Fruit tardily or weakly dehiscent, Fruit elongate, straight, Fruit twisted, Fruit or valves persistent on stem, Fruit exserted from calyx, Fruit compres sed between seeds, Fruit beaked, Fruit glabrous or glabrate, Fruit 11-many seeded, Seeds ovoid to rounded in outline, Seed surface smooth, Seeds olive, brown, or black.

Sesbania sesban, the Egyptian riverhemp, is a species of plant in the legume family.

Synonyms include:

Aeschynomene aegyptiaca (Pers.) Steud. Aeschynomene sesban L. Emerus sesban (L.) Kuntze Sesbania aegyptiaca Poir.