Dolichos schweinfurthii

Botanical Description

Dolichos schweinfurthii is a very variable, erect or ascending perennial plant producing a cluster of stems 30 - 130cm tall from a stout, woody rootstock. The plant sometimes flowers before the leaves appear[ 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. ]. The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and a medicine. It is sometimes grown as an ornamental. Dolichos schweinfurthii has a large geographical distribution. The taxon does not meet the threshold for a threatened category at present, the species is known to occur within the protected areas network and aside from general threats in the region is not thought to be specifically threatened or in decline. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[ 338 Title IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Publication Author Website http://www.iucnredlist.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat. ].