Desmodium velutinum

Family: Fabaceae

What it is like

A woody shrub. It grows from 0.5-2 m high. The stems are densely covered with pale hairs when young. The leaves normally have one leaflet but occasionally 3. The leaflet is 2.5-19 cm long by 1.1-13 cm wide. It is bluntly rounded at the tip. There a hairs which are more rough on top and velvety underneath. The flowers are 5 mm long in clusters either at the ends of branches or in the axils of leaves. These flower clusters are 2-30 cm long. They are covered with hooked hairs. The flowers are mauve, red or blue. The fruit are pods 1.2-2.4 cm long and with 2-7 segments.

There are about 350 Desmodium species. They are mostly in the tropics.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It tends to grow in grassland and drier areas. In Papua New Guinea is occurs from 2 m to 600 m altitude. In Zimbabwe it grows between 100-1,320 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Asia, Australia, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Central Africa, China, Congo DR, East Africa, Guiana, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Laos, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Nigeria, Pacific, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Sao Tome and Principe, SE Asia, Sierra Leone, South America, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam, West Africa, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

Edible parts

Leaves

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

'Danka ' dafi, Damgere, Kulenhimaba, Macabreu, Nhacanama, Nangata-tchenche, Rap-rap, Tamron, Tam, Thoclep, Trangqua long

Synonyms

Anarthrosyne cordata Klotzsch; Hedysarum velutinum Willd.; Desmodium lasiocarpum (Beauv.) DC; Desmodium latifolium (Ker-Gawl.) DC.; and others