Bully beef plant, Veld lupin
Dolichos kilimandscharicus

Family: Fabaceae

What it is like

A herb. It can be erect or lie along the ground. It grows 25-120 cm high from a woody rootstock. It flowers when leaves are absent. The leaves have 3 leaflets. The leaflets are 3-14 cm long by 2-4 cm wide. The flowers can be single or in pairs in the axils of leaves.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. In Zimbabwe it grows between 700-2,100 m above sea level. It grows in open woodland. It grows in areas with a rainfall between 900-1,000 mm per year.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Angola, Botswana, Central Africa, East Africa, Ethiopia, Malawi, Mozambique, Southern Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The flowers are cooked usually with other leaves.

Edible parts

Flowers, leaves

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Chilowe cha ntupa, Kiniamba, Ndupa, Nthupa, Tchizuzu, Tsulutsulu

Synonyms

Dolichos buchananii Harms; Dolichos lupiniflorus N. E. Br.;