Aeschynomene elaphroxylon (Guill. & Perr.) Taub.

Selected images: Click on each image to see a larger version and details of the record View all images (5)

Aeschynomene elaphroxylon

Photo: Alistair Hull
Sandy island, c. 20 m from the bank of the Zambezi River, near the confluence with the Nyakasanga River.

Aeschynomene elaphroxylon

Photo: Alistair Hull
Sandy island, c. 20 m from the bank of the Zambezi River, near the confluence with the Nyakasanga River.

Aeschynomene elaphroxylon

Photo: Alistair Hull
Sandy island, c. 20 m from the bank of the Zambezi River, near the confluence with the Nyakasanga River.

Aeschynomene elaphroxylon

Photo: Alistair Hull
Sandy island, c. 20 m from the bank of the Zambezi River, near the confluence with the Nyakasanga River.

Aeschynomene elaphroxylon

Photo: Alistair Hull
Sandy island, c. 20 m from the bank of the Zambezi River, near the confluence with the Nyakasanga River.

Detailed records: Display species records QDS maps by: Google Maps Point records by Google Maps

Species details: Click on each item to see an explanation of that item (Note: opens a new window)

Synonyms: Herminiera elaphroxylon Guill. & Perr.
Common names: Ambatch (English) Balsawood tree (English) Pith-tree (English)
Frequency:
Status: Native
Description:
Shrub or small tree with a swollen, pithy, often conical stem. Branches with sticky glandular hairs and armed with short sharp spines. Leaves pinnate with 20-40 oblong, often emarginate leaflets, mostly hairless above, blue-green and pubescent below, particularly on the margin and mid-vein. Petiole and rhachis covered with bristly hairs and often with minute spines. Flowers in 1-4-flowered axillary inflorescences, yellow to orange on the standard. Pods spirally contorted, 10-14 cm long, 6-17-jointed, densely covered in bristly glandular hairs.
Notes:
Derivation of specific name:
Habitat: By the sides of rivers, swamps and lakes, often standing in water, when the swollen stem will act as a float.
Altitude range: (metres) 470 - 1060 m
Flowering time:
Worldwide distribution: Throughout tropical Africa and Madagascar. Cultivated in Egypt, Java and South America.
Zimbabwe distribution: N
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters: Display spot characters for this species
Images last updated: Tuesday 27 January 2009
Literature:

Burrows, J.E., Burrows, S.M., Lötter, M.C. & Schmidt, E. (2018). Trees and Shrubs Mozambique Publishing Print Matters (Pty), Cape Town. Page 280. (Includes a picture).

Verdcourt, B. (2000). Papilionoideae Flora Zambesiaca 3(6) Pages 63 - 77. (Includes a picture).


Other sources of information about Aeschynomene elaphroxylon:

Our websites:

Flora of Caprivi: cultivated Aeschynomene elaphroxylon
Flora of Malawi: Aeschynomene elaphroxylon
Flora of Mozambique: Aeschynomene elaphroxylon
Flora of Zambia: Aeschynomene elaphroxylon

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Aeschynomene elaphroxylon
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Aeschynomene elaphroxylon
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Aeschynomene elaphroxylon
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Aeschynomene elaphroxylon
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Aeschynomene elaphroxylon
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Aeschynomene elaphroxylon
JSTOR Plant Science: Aeschynomene elaphroxylon
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Aeschynomene elaphroxylon
Plants of the World Online: Aeschynomene elaphroxylon
Tropicos: Aeschynomene elaphroxylon
Wikipedia: Aeschynomene elaphroxylon


Copyright: Mark Hyde, Bart Wursten, Petra Ballings and Meg Coates Palgrave, 2002-24

Hyde, M.A., Wursten, B.T., Ballings, P. & Coates Palgrave, M. (2024). Flora of Zimbabwe: Species information: Aeschynomene elaphroxylon.
https://www.zimbabweflora.co.zw/speciesdata/species.php?species_id=164190, retrieved 29 March 2024

Site software last modified: 26 March 2018 2:01pm (GMT +2)
Terms of use