Astragalus atropilosulus subsp. abyssinicus

Family: Fabaceae

What it is like

A herb or small shrub. The stems are usually erect. The leaves are 20 cm long. There are 11-51 leaflets. They are opposite. They are 3 cm long by 1.4 cm wide. They are sword shaped. There is a point at the tip. There are many flowers along 10 cm long stalks. The corolla is purple, yellow or white. The fruit is a pod 40 mm long by 7 mm wide. It is narrow at both ends. It splits into 2 halves at maturity. The seeds are 2 mm long. They are kidney shaped and dark brown.

There are 2,000 Astragalus species.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in seasonally flooded grassland and woodlands. It is sometimes on termite mounds. In southern Africa it grows between 900-2,250 m altitude and up to 3,900 m altitude in other places.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Central Africa, Congo, East Africa, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Middle East, Mozambique, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, South Africa, Southern Africa, Sudan, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The leaves are cooked and eaten as a side dish.

It is of local importantce.

Edible parts

Leaves, vegetable

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

Astragalus abyssinicus (Hochst.) Steud. ex A. Rich.; Astragalus atropilosus subsp. bequaertii (De Wild.) J. B. Gillet; Astragalus atropilosus subsp. burkeanus (Harv.) J. B. Gillet; Astragalus bequaertii De Wild.; Astragalus burkeanus De Wild.; Astragalus burkeanus var. randii Baker f.; Diplotheca abyssinica Hochst.; Lessertia stipulata Baker f.;