Compilation
Tylosema esculentum

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Name

Identification
Tylosema esculentum (Burch.) A.Schreib. [family LEGUMINOSAE ]
Related name
  • Tylosema esculentum

Flora

Entry for Tylosema esculentum [family FABACEAE]
Herbarium
South African National Biodiversity Institute, Compton Herbarium, Cape Town (SAM)
Collection
Flora of Southern Africa
Resource Type
Reference Sources
Entry From
Flora of South Africa, (2003) Author: Dr J.P. Roux
Names
Tylosema esculentum [family FABACEAE]
Common names
Bauhinia esculenta Burch., Trav. 2 : 589 (1824); Schinz in Mem. Herb. Boiss. 1 : 121 (1900); Bak. f., Leg. Trop. Afr. 3 : 659 (1930); Burtt Davy, Fl. Transv. 2 : 322 (1932); Verdoorn in Flow. PI. S. Afr. 33 : t. 1311 (1959); Letty, Wild Flow. Tvl. 157(1962). Type as above. B. burkeana (Benth.) Harv. in F.C. 2 : 275 (1862); Taub. in Pflanzenfam. 3,3:151 (1892). Type: Transvaal, Mooi River, Burke & Zeyher s.n. (K, holo.!). B. bainesii Schinz in Mem. Herb. Boiss. 1 : 121 (1900); Brummitt & Ross in Kew Bull. 31 : 219 (1976). Type: South West Africa, E. of Gobabis at Oas, Schinz 2061 (Z, lecto.!).
Information
Stems prostrate and trailing, up to 3 m long, herbaceous or woody below; young parts sparingly to fairly densely pubescent. Tendrils forked, 1,2-4 cm long, the lateral branches 8-12 mm long. Leaves: petiole 1,5-3,5 cm long; blade 3-7,5 cm long, 4-10 cm wide, glabrous or pubescent be­neath, especially on nerves, deeply bilobed apically for > 1/2 the length of the leaf from the lobe-ends to junction with petiole; lobes reniform. Stipules 3-5 mm long, 2-3 mm broad. Racemes: peduncle 2-4 cm long; axis 4-12 cm long; pedicels 2-4,5 cm long. Hypanthium 2-4 mm long. Sepals 8-12 mm long, 2-3 mm wide. Petals yellow, the four larger ones 1,5-2,5 cm long, 1-1,4 cm wide, tapering into a basal claw. Stamens: fila­ments of fertile stamens 10-12 mm long, of staminodes 3-6 mm long. Ovary 5-6 mm long. Pod oval to oval-oblong, sometimes almost circular, 3,5-6 cm long, 2,8-4 cm wide. Seeds oval to circular, 1,3-1,8 cm long, 1,2-1,5 cm wide, rufous to brownish-black.
Habitat
Flowering period is from (October) November to March.
Use
2. Tylosema esculentum (Burch.) Schreiber in Mitt. Bot. Staatssamml. Mun-chen 3 : 611 (1960); Schreiber in F.S.W.A. 59 : 20 (1967); Meyer, Pflanzenwelt Siid-westafrikas 86 (1969); Giess in Dinteria 5 : 27 (1970). Type: Northern Cape, Kalahari, Litakun near a branch of Moshewa River, Burchell 2414 (K, hole!, PRE, photo.).
Range
T. esculentum is restricted to Southern Africa. It occurs in the northern part of South West Africa, Botswana, the western and north-western Transvaal and the northern Cape. In the Transvaal T. esculentum is associated with dolomite where it grows in grass veld or open bushveld; in the remainder of its distributional range it occupies dry sandy regions.

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