African yam bean
Sphenostylis marginata

Family: Fabaceae

What it is like

A trailing herb. It can grow 1.5 m long or tall. It has a woody rootstock. Young parts are hairy. The leaves have leaflets 4-9.5 cm long by 1.3-3.3 cm wide. The flowers are in the axils of leaves. The pods are 10 cm long by 0.6 cm wide. They narrow at each end. There are about 8 seeds.

Where it is found

It is a subtropical plant.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Angola, Central African Republic, CAR, Eswatini, Mozambique, South Africa, Southern Africa, Swaziland

How it is used for food

Edible parts

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Umshwili

Synonyms

Vigna marginata (E. Mey.) Benth. ex Harv.;