Eriosema shirense
Baker f.
Fabaceae
Eriosema filipendulum Welw. ex Baker
Common Name:
General Information
Eriosema shirense is an erect, perennial plant producing one to a few, unbranched or sparsely branched stems 8 - 35cm tall, occasionally to 50cm. It grows from a globose or ovoid tuber, 15 - 40mm long and 10 - 25mm wide. There are sometimes two tubers, one beneath the other[
308- Title
- Flora Zambesiaca
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://apps.kew.org/efloras/fz/intro.html
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent online flora of plants from the Zambezi River basin. It lists a number of the plant uses as well as the habitats and botanical descriptions of the plants.
,
328- Title
- African Flowering Plants Database
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.ville-ge.ch/musinfo/bd/cjb/africa/recherche.php
- Publisher
- Conservatoire et Jardin Botaniques.
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Contains information on over 150,000 plant names (including synonyms) giving a description and habitat, plus a distribution map.
,
1304- Title
- Traditional Food Plants of Kenya
- Publication
-
- Author
- Patrick M Maundu
- Publisher
- Kenya Resource Centre for Indigenous Knowledge, National Museums
- Year
- 1999
- ISBN
- 9966986146
- Description
- A concise guide to the edible plants of Kenya
].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
308- Title
- Flora Zambesiaca
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://apps.kew.org/efloras/fz/intro.html
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent online flora of plants from the Zambezi River basin. It lists a number of the plant uses as well as the habitats and botanical descriptions of the plants.
Range
Tropical Africa - Cote D'Ivoire to Nigeria, Central African Republic and Kenya, south to Uganda, Zimbabwe and Mozambique
Habitat
Grassland, deciduous woodlands on poor soil, wooded-grassland and savannah, grassy savannah, dry and moist dambo edges, swampy grassland;,Protea scrub, dry thickets, roadsides; at elevations from 540 - 2,240 metres[
328- Title
- African Flowering Plants Database
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.ville-ge.ch/musinfo/bd/cjb/africa/recherche.php
- Publisher
- Conservatoire et Jardin Botaniques.
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Contains information on over 150,000 plant names (including synonyms) giving a description and habitat, plus a distribution map.
].
Properties
| Edibility Rating |  |
| Habit | Perennial |
| Height | 0.25 m |
Cultivation Details
The plant is very specific to certain soil types[
1304- Title
- Traditional Food Plants of Kenya
- Publication
-
- Author
- Patrick M Maundu
- Publisher
- Kenya Resource Centre for Indigenous Knowledge, National Museums
- Year
- 1999
- ISBN
- 9966986146
- Description
- A concise guide to the edible plants of Kenya
].
The tubers are spoiled by rain[
1304- Title
- Traditional Food Plants of Kenya
- Publication
-
- Author
- Patrick M Maundu
- Publisher
- Kenya Resource Centre for Indigenous Knowledge, National Museums
- Year
- 1999
- ISBN
- 9966986146
- Description
- A concise guide to the edible plants of Kenya
].
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[
1309- Title
- The Leguminosae; A Source Book of Characteristics, Uses and Nodulation
- Publication
-
- Author
- Allen O.N.; Allen E.K.
- Publisher
- University of Wisconsin
- Year
- 1981
- ISBN
- 0-333-32221-5
- Description
- An amazing and comprehensive work, giving a brief guide to the many genera of the family Fabaceae and also the principle uses of the genus.
].
Edible Uses
Root[
332- Title
- The Useful Plants of West Tropical Africa.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Burkil. H. M.
- Publisher
- Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew.
- Year
- 1985 - 2004
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Brief descriptions and details of the uses of over 4,000 plants. A superb, if terse, resource, it is also available electronically on the Web - see http://www.aluka.org/
]. The small root is peeled and eaten raw - said to be very tasty and to always leave one longing for more[
1304- Title
- Traditional Food Plants of Kenya
- Publication
-
- Author
- Patrick M Maundu
- Publisher
- Kenya Resource Centre for Indigenous Knowledge, National Museums
- Year
- 1999
- ISBN
- 9966986146
- Description
- A concise guide to the edible plants of Kenya
]. Eaten raw by children[
466- Title
- Useful Plants of Nyasaland
- Publication
-
- Author
- Williamson J.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- The Government Printer, Zomba, Nyasaland.
- Year
- 1955
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Brief details of the uses of almost 500 species of plants.
].The taproot develops into a globose or ovoid tuber, 15 - 40mm long and 10 - 25mm wide[
332- Title
- The Useful Plants of West Tropical Africa.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Burkil. H. M.
- Publisher
- Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew.
- Year
- 1985 - 2004
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Brief descriptions and details of the uses of over 4,000 plants. A superb, if terse, resource, it is also available electronically on the Web - see http://www.aluka.org/
].
Medicinal
None known
Other Uses
None known
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[
K- Title
- Plants for a Future
- Author
- Ken Fern
- Description
- Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
].
If you have any useful information about this plant, please leave a comment. Comments have to be approved before they are shown here.
Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
