Astragalus atropilosulus subsp. abyssinicus

(Hochst.) Steud. ex A. Rich.

Fabaceae Edible: Leaves, Vegetable 5 iNaturalist observations

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Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh

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Meise Botanic Garden

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Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Summary

Source: Wikipedia

Astragalus atropilosulus is a perennial herb in the family Fabaceae. It is native to Eastern Africa and some parts of the Arabian Peninsula. It is used as a vegetable in Malawi and Kenya.

Description

A herb or small shrub. The stems are usually erect. The leaves are 20 cm long. There are 11-51 leaflets. They are opposite. They are 3 cm long by 1.4 cm wide. They are sword shaped. There is a point at the tip. There are many flowers along 10 cm long stalks. The corolla is purple, yellow or white. The fruit is a pod 40 mm long by 7 mm wide. It is narrow at both ends. It splits into 2 halves at maturity. The seeds are 2 mm long. They are kidney shaped and dark brown.

Edible Uses

The leaves are used as a side dish and are sometimes mixed with the leaves of Solanum nigrum. The roots are added to hot milk to help a woman having uterine pains after childbirth.

Traditional Uses

The leaves are cooked and eaten as a side dish.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Distribution

A tropical plant. It grows in seasonally flooded grassland and woodlands. It is sometimes on termite mounds. In southern Africa it grows between 900-2,250 m altitude and up to 3,900 m altitude in other places.

Where It Grows

Africa, Central Africa, Congo, East Africa, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Middle East, Mozambique, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, South Africa, Southern Africa, Sudan, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe,

Other Information

It is of local importantce.

Notes

There are 2,000 Astragalus species.

Synonyms

Astragalus abyssinicus (Hochst.) Steud. ex A. Rich.Astragalus atropilosus subsp. bequaertii (De Wild.) J. B. GilletAstragalus atropilosus subsp. burkeanus (Harv.) J. B. GilletAstragalus bequaertii De Wild.Astragalus burkeanus De Wild.Astragalus burkeanus var. randii Baker f.Diplotheca abyssinica Hochst.Lessertia stipulata Baker f.

References (6)

Flora Zambesiaca. http://apps.kew.org/efloras
Grivetti, L. E., 1980, Agricultural development: present and potential role of edible wild plants. Part 2: Sub-Saharan Africa, Report to the Department of State Agency for International Development. p 45 (As Astragalus abyssinicus)
Grubben, G. J. H. and Denton, O. A. (eds), 2004, Plant Resources of Tropical Africa 2. Vegetables. PROTA, Wageningen, Netherlands. p 99
Jardin, C., 1970, List of Foods Used In Africa, FAO Nutrition Information Document Series No 2.p 57
Martin, F.W. & Ruberte, R.M., 1979, Edible Leaves of the Tropics. Antillian College Press, Mayaguez, Puerto Rico. p 198

Show all 6 references