Gemsbok bean, Marama bean, Camel's foot
Tylosema esculentum

Family: Fabaceae

What it is like

A herb or shrub. It is climbing and keeps growing from year to year. It has tuberous roots. The stem lie along the ground. They can be 6 m long. The lower parts can be woody. There are forked tendrils 1-4 cm long. The leaves are simple and arranged alternately. The leaf blade has 2 lobes. These are kidney shaped and 4-5 cm long by 5-6 cm wide. The flowers are in groups 16 cm long and at the sides. The flowers contain both sexes and are yellow turning red with age. The fruit is a oval pod 4-6 cm long by 3-4 cm wide and flattened. It is woody and usually has 1-2 seeds. The pod is constricted between the seeds. The seeds are round or oval and 2-2.5 cm long by about 1.5 cm wide. They are reddish-brown.

There are 5 Tylosema species. Also as Caesalpinaceae. The tuber is 9% protein. The seed is 30-39 % protein which is higher than peanut or soy bean. It apparently does not fix nitrogen.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It is native to the Kalahari desert. It grows in hot arid areas. It can tolerate drought and low soil fertility. It often grows in areas with daily maximum temperatures of 37°C and a low rainfall of 100-900 mm. It is on sandy and limestone soils. It can tolerate frost. It grows between 800-1,600 m above sea level. It can grow in arid places.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Angola, Botswana, Central Africa, Congo DR, East Africa, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Israel, Malawi, Mediterranean, Middle East, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Southern Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, USA, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The root is sweet and nutritious. They are baked, boiled or roasted. The seeds are roasted or boiled and eaten. They are shelled and pounded and added to water to make soup. The seeds also produce an edible oil. The young stems are roasted and eaten. Young leafy shoots are occasionally eaten.

It is a commercially cultivated vegetable. It is an important food of the Khoisan people in the Kalahari.

Edible parts

Seeds, tubers, leaves, pods, roots, vegetable

How it is grown

Plants are grown from seed. They germinate 9-10 days after planting. Plants can re-grow from the tubers. Seeds should not be soaked or planted in waterlogged soils.

Plants flower between 2 to 4 years after planting. A tuber can weigh about 1 kg. They can weigh 12 kg but become fibrous with age. The seeds can be stored for several years and are still edible.

Its other names

Local names

Bauhinia, Ditsidi, Ganu, Gami, Lai, Litam-mani, Marumama, Morama, Muraki, Ombanui, Otjipiva, Ozombanui, Rama, Tammani, Tsi/tsin, Ts''hi

Synonyms

Bauhinia bainesii Schinz.; Bauhinia esculenta Burch.;