Common Name:

General Information

Aeschynomene fluitans is a perennial, sometimes annual, aquatic plant with floating stems 1 - 4.5 metres long. The spongy, hollow stems can be 5 - 10mm thick and are densely covered with adventitious roots[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Tropical Africa - Angola, Namibia, DR Congo, Zambia, Botswana, western Tanzania

Habitat

Floating on water of slow rivers and ponds, and in floodplains, river and pond margins[]. Permanent swamps; sand banks; floodplains; slow-river and pond margins; at elevations from 300 - 1,500 metres[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Habit	Annual/Perennial
Height	0.00 m
Growth Rate	Fast
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

The plant produces roots and new shoots in abundance from the nodes along its stems[].
This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria; these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[].

Edible Uses

Leaves and young stems - eaten as a vegetable[].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed -

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