Rhynchosia hirta

Family: Fabaceae

What it is like

A robust creeper. It grows 5 m high. The main stems can be 8 mm across. The stems have dense rusty hairs. The leaves have 3 leaflets. These are often pale underneath. The end leaflet is 5-18 cm long by 4-14 cm wide. The side leaflets are 4-13 cm long by 3-9 cm wide. They taper to the tips. The flowering stalks can be branched and they have velvety rusty hairs. The flowers are yellow. The fruit are twisted pods 2-3 cm long by 4-7 mm wide. They are narrowly oblong. They have velvety hairs. The seeds are blue.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows on the edges of forests and among rocks. In Malawi it grows between 1,300-2.200 m altitude. It can grow in arid places.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa (country/location of origin), Asia, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central Africa, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, East Africa, French Guiana, Guiana, India, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Kenya, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Nigeria, Reunion, Rwanda, South Africa, Southern Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, West Africa, West Indies, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

A famine food.

Edible parts

Root

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Inganigani, Namalopa

Synonyms

Cyanospermum tomentosum (Roxb.) Wight & Arn.; Cylista albiflora Sims; Cylista tomentosa Roxb.; Dolichos hirtus Andrews; Rhynchosia albiflora (Sims) Alston; Rhynchosia cyanosperma Baker; Rhynchosia tomentosa (Roxb.) Baill.;