Smithia elliotii
Family: Fabaceae
What it is like
An annual herb or small shrub. It has erect stems. It grows up to 1.5 m high. The leaves are 5-7 cm long and have 6-9 pairs of leaflets. The flowers are in groups of 3-6. They have brown bracts. The flowers contain both sexes. The fruit is a pod with 1-4 joints.
There are about 30 Smithia species.
Where it is found
A tropical plant. It grows in waste places and grasslands in wet sites in the highlands of West and Central Africa. It can grow in standing water. It grows between 1,150-2,700 m above sea level.
Countries/locations it is found in
Africa, Burundi, Cameroon, Central Africa, Congo, East Africa, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, West Africa, Zambia
How it is used for food
The leaves are cooked and eaten as a side dish. The leaflets are pulled off and cooked with potash. It is slimy.
They are sometimes sold in markets. It is a minor vegetable of local importance.
Edible parts
Leaves, vegetable
How it is grown
They are especially used near the end of the dry season.
Its other names
Local names
Kadzulo, Kankula, Kasadzula, Umubazibazi