Rhynchosia congensis

Baker

Fabaceae Edible: Root

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Meise Botanic Garden

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Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

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Meise Botanic Garden

Description

A stout climber. It grows 6 m long.

This description is brief — help expand it

Edible Uses

The swollen roots have been eaten in Tanzania as a famine food.

Distribution

It is a tropical plant. It grows in grassland, bush-land and on the edges of forests in West Africa.

Where It Grows

Africa, Cameroon, Central Africa, East Africa, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, West Africa,

Cultivation

The foliage is sometimes unpleasantly aromatically scented when crushed.

Propagation

Like many species within the family Fabaceae, once they have ripened and dried the seeds of this species may benefit from scarification before sowing in order to speed up and improve germination. This can usually be done by pouring a small amount of nearly boiling water on the seeds (being careful not to cook them!) and then soaking them for 12 - 24 hours in warm water. By this time they should have imbibed moisture and swollen - if they have not, then carefully make a nick in the seedcoat (being careful not to damage the embryo) and soak for a further 12 hours before sowing.

Other Uses

We have seen no specific entry for this species, but all members of this genus have at least some merit for use as a ground cover and in local soil conservation projects.