African yam bean
Sphenostylis stenocarpa

Family: Fabaceae

What it is like

A vigorous climbing vine. It is a herb that grows 1.5-2 m high. It has tuberous roots. The leaves have 3 leaflets. They are 14 cm long and 5 cm wide. The flowers are pink, purple or greenish-white. They are 2.5 cm long. They are on stout stalks in the axils of leaves. The seed pods are smooth. They are flat but have both edges raised. They are 25-30 cm long by 1-1.5 cm wide. The seeds vary in shape, size and colour. They can be 1 cm long by 0.7 cm wide. They can be cream or brown. There are small narrow tubers under the ground. They can be 5-7.5 cm long and weigh 50-150 g. The flesh is white and watery.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows from sea level up to 1800 m altitude. It grows in grassland and woodland and sometimes in marshy sites. It can grow in arid places.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central Africa, Chad, Congo DR, Côte d'Ivoire, East Africa, Ethiopia (country/location of origin), Ghana, Guinea, Guinée, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Southern Africa, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, West Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The pods, leaves, seeds and tubers are cooked and eaten. They are used in soups or with maize or rice. The hard seeds need to be soaked in water for 12 hours before cooking and being ground. The tubers are cooked and eaten.

It is a commercially cultivated vegetable. The tubers are eaten especially by children.

Edible parts

Seeds, leaves, tubers, root, pods, vegetable

How it is grown

It can be grown from seed or tubers.

Tubers are ready for harvest about 8 months after planting. The seeds are produced after 5 months. Tubers can weigh 500 g.

Its other names

Local names

Adagora barracha, Amalumbwe, Chinaka, Chinkhoma, Diegemtenguere, Girigiri, Ground Squirrel’s bean, Igname haricot, Mpempo, N'taco, Nkhoma, Norouko, Nsama, Odudu, Okpa odudu, Pempo, Sese

Synonyms

Dolichos stenocarpa (Hochst.); Sphenostylis congensis A. Chev.; Vigna ornata Welw. ex Bak.;