Decorsea schlechteri

Family: Fabaceae

What it is like

A twining herb. It keeps growing from year to year. It climbs up to 3 m tall. The stems are slender. It grows from a large tuber. The leaves are compound. The leaves have 3 leaflets. They have leaflets along the stalk and one at the end. The leaves are broadly triangle shaped. They are 7.5 cm long by 3.5 cm wide. The flowers appear before the leaves. They are blue or pink. They are like pea flowers. They have a light yellow twisted keel. The fruit is a pod. It is narrow and 8-12 cm long by 5 mm wide. It is curved at the tip. It has a pointed beak.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows on gravel and Kalahari sand. It grows in hot dry woodland. In Zimbabwe it grows up to 1,200 m above sea level. It grows in grass and bush at low and medium altitudes.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Botswana, East Africa, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Southern Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The seeds are eaten fresh or boiled. The tubers are washed and peeled and cut into pieces then boiled or roasted. Young tubers are eaten raw.

Edible parts

Root, tuber

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Carume-canhemba, Lisili

Synonyms

Dolichos schlechteri Harms ex Burtt Davy; Phaseolus schlechteri Harms;