Bluebells
Afrosolen erythrantha

Family: Iridaceae

What it is like

An erect annual plant. The stems are 60 cm long and branching. They are delicate. The leaves are narrow and the lower two are longer than the upper ones. The flowers have 6 mauve petals. They are at the end of a long tube. The flowers open in the evening and early morning.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows in locally damp sites.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Angola, Botswana, Central Africa, Congo, East Africa, Malawi, Mozambique, Southern Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The corms are eaten raw or cooked.

Edible parts

Corm, root

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Chiweruweru

Synonyms

Lapeirousia erythrantha (Klotzsch ex Klatt) Baker; Lapeirousia rhodesiana N. E. Br.; Psilosiphon erythranthus (Klotzsch ex Klatt) Goldblatt & Manning;