Glossy flat-bean
Dalbergia nitidula
Family: Fabaceae
What it is like
A shrub or small tree. It loses its leaves during the year. It grows 4-12 m tall. The branches are stiff and erect. The crown is open. The bark is grey brown or reddish. It is rough and cracked. The leaves are compound with 4-7 pairs of leaflets and one at the tip. The leaflets are 2-3 cm long. The flowers are white and appear before the leaves. They occur in dense heads up to 10 cm across. Each flower is small and pea like. The fruit is a flat, thin brown pod. It is 7 cm long by 1.5 cm wide. It has a sharp tip. There are 1-2 seeds.
Where it is found
It is a tropical plant. It grows in deciduous woodland. In Tanzania it grows between 300-1,700 m above sea level.
Countries/locations it is found in
Africa, Angola, Burundi, Central Africa, Congo, East Africa, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, South Africa, Southern Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe
How it is used for food
The young leaves are chopped, washed, cooked and pounded with peanuts and then eaten with the staple food.
Edible parts
Leaves
How it is grown
Plants can be grown from seed.
Leaves are collected during the rainy season.
Its other names
Local names
Kafinulambasa, Lungwe, Mfunfu, Mgeja, Mhuga, Mjiha, Mobibi, Msinatemo, Munhenhe, Pinapasso, Purplewood dalbergia, Purplewood flat-bean, Unhungu