ZZ Aeschynomene afraspera
Family: Fabaceae
What it is like
A herb or shrub. It grows 1-3 m tall. It has soft pithy stems. The leaves have 36-100 leaflets. The leaflets are 8-22 mm long by 1.5-3.5 mm wide. There are 2-4 flowers in the axils of leaves. The fruit is 5-9 cm long and dark. It can be slightly curved and has 6-10 joints. The seeds are brown and 6 mm long by 4 mm wide and 2 mm thick. They are curved up at one end.
Where it is found
It is a tropical plant. It grows in swampy places. It grows from sea level to 900 m above sea level.
Countries/locations it is found in
Africa, Angola, Central Africa, Malawi, Sudan, Zambia
How it is used for food
Edible parts
Medicine
How it is grown
It can be grown from seed. The hard seed coat needs to be broken. It can be grown from cuttings.