Eriosema polystachyum
Baker
FabaceaeRoots
gbif · cc-by-nc
MG Dlamini
MG Dlamini
gbif · cc-by-nc
MG Dlamini
MG Dlamini
gbif · cc-by-nc
Duncan McKenzie
Duncan McKenzie
What to Eat
Edible parts: Root
The roots are eaten, especially by children.
Where to Find It
A tropical plant.
Africa, East Africa, Malawi,
Countries: Angola, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Benin, Botswana, Congo (DRC), Central African Republic, Congo (Republic), Cote d'Ivoire, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Djibouti, Algeria, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Gambia, Guinea, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Comoros, Liberia, Lesotho, Libya, Morocco, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Seychelles, Sudan, Sierra Leone, Senegal, Somalia, South Sudan, Sao Tome & Principe, Eswatini, Chad, Togo, Tunisia, Tanzania, Uganda, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe
How to Identify
A herb. The leaves are compound with 3 leaflets. The flowers are pea like and in dense spikes.
Other Information
The roots are eaten especially by children.
References (3)
- Fox, F. W. & Young, M. E. N., 1982, Food from the Veld. Delta Books. p 210
- Jardin, C., 1970, List of Foods Used In Africa, FAO Nutrition Information Document Series No 2.p 76
- D. Oliver, Fl. trop. Afr. 2:225. 1871 (non E. Mey. 1835) an illegitimate later homonym (ICBN Art. 53) that is unavailable for use\; originally based on Rhynchosia polystachyum A. Rich., an illegitimate later homonym (ICBN Art. 53) (non Steud.)
