Tephrosia linearis

Family: Fabaceae

What it is like

A herb. It grows each year from seeds. It grows 1 m high. The leaves have 3-6 pairs of leaflets. The leaflets are 15-40 mm long by 1-4 mm wide. The flowers are in the axils of leaves or at the ends of branches. They are in groups 12 cm long. The petals are yellow or red. The fruit are pods 40-55 mm long by 3-4 mm wide. They are brown and have hairs. There are 9-13 seeds. These are 2-3 mm long by 2 mm wide.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in sandy and grassy places in West Africa. It grows up to 2,400 m above sea level. It grows in dry sandy and poorly drained soils. It grows in areas with an annual rainfall 800-1,500 mm. It can grow in arid places.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central Africa, Central African Republic, CAR, Chad, Congo, East Africa, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Southern Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Pantropical, West Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The leaves are used for flavouring. They are pulped and added to milk or to millet or guinea corn as a seasoning.

Edible parts

Leaves

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Gagneraye, Ndogdial, Ndon, Temei-tenu, Tiekre

Synonyms

Cracca linearis (Willd.) Kuntze; Galega linearus Willd.; Tephrosia discolor E. Meyer; Tephrosia linearis (Willd.) Pers. subsp. discolor (E. Meyer) J. B. Gillett; Tephrosia linearis (Willd.) Pers. var. discolor (E. Meyer) Brummitt;