Compilation
Entada africana

I have not seen an authentic specimen, and the description is taken from Guillemin and Perrottet. The plants collected by Barter and Mann are in fruit only, but I can hardly doubt that they belong to this species. The pods do not exceed 15 in. in length, are irregularly or obscurely sinuous, flat, 3–4 1/2 in. broad; the epicarp is papery, smooth, and very obscurely transversely veined. Guillemin and Perrottet describe the pod as 8 in. broad, meaning no doubt 8 in. long. Nearly allied to E. africana is a plant of Zambesiland, of which we have fruiting specimens only, gathered near Senna, on the Zambesi, by Dr. Kirk. It is a glabrous climber (occurring from the coast to Tette). Pinnæ about 4-jugate; leaflets 10–12-jugate, rather broadly oblong obtuse sessile, 7–9 lines long, 3 lines broad. Flowers (according to Dr. K.) white in dense spikes. Legume 1 1/3–2 ft. long, 3–3 1/2 in. broad, the articles much broader than long, the epicarp separable and papery towards the replum, much thickened cellular and prominently convex externally in the centre over the compressed seed, which is about 1/2 in. in diameter, with a distinct central areole. As the remarkable thickening of the pericarp in the centre of the articles appears to afford a marked specific distinction, this plant may be called E. Kirkii .