Characteristics
A hairy climbing herb. It grows 1-2 m long. They are covered with white hairs. The leaves are compound with 3 leaflets. They are hairy on both sides. The central leaf is largest and 5-10 cm long. It can have 3 lobes. The flowers are pea shaped and purple. The fruit are erect pods. They are cylinder shaped and 5-8 cm long. They are covered with short hairs. There are 15-18 seeds. They are dark red and have black speckles.
| Life form |
|
| Growth form |
herb
|
| Growth support |
-
|
| Foliage retention |
deciduous
|
| Sexuality |
hermaphrodite
|
| Pollination |
entomogamy
|
| Spread |
-
|
| Mature width (meter) |
-
|
| Mature height (meter) |
-
|
| Root system |
-
|
| Rooting depth (meter) |
-
|
| Root diameter (meter) |
-
|
| Flower color |
-
|
| Blooming months |
-
|
| Fruit color |
-
|
| Fruiting months |
-
|
| Nitrogen fixer |
-
|
| Photosynthetic pathway |
-
|
Environment
It is a tropical plant. It grows in grassland. In Tanzania it grows between sea level and 1,000 m above sea level.
| Light |
-
|
| Soil humidity |
-
|
| Soil texture |
-
|
| Soil acidity |
-
|
| Soil nutriment |
-
|
| Hardiness (USDA) |
|
Usage
The leaves are chopped and cooked alone or with other vegetables.
| Uses |
fodder
|
| Edible
|
leaves
|
| Therapeutic use
|
-
|
| Human toxicity |
-
|
| Animal toxicity |
-
|
Cultivation
Plants can be grown by seeds.
| Mode |
-
|
| Germination duration (days) |
-
|
| Germination temperacture (C°) |
-
|
| Germination luminosity |
-
|
| Germination treatment |
-
|
| Minimum temperature (C°) |
-
|
| Optimum temperature (C°) |
25 - 35
|
| Size |
-
|
| Vigor |
-
|
| Productivity |
-
|
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