Aspalathus
Encyclopedia
Aspalathus is a genus of flowering plant
s in the legume family, Fabaceae
. The yellow flowers and spiny
habit of some species have suggested a resemblance to Ulex europaeus, the thorny "English gorse
" Accordingly "Cape Gorse" has been proposed as a common name although the resemblance is largely superficial; for instance, gorse is thorny
, whereas Aspalathus species are variously spiny or unarmed. The genus belongs to the sub family Faboideae
. There are over 270 species, mainly endemic to southwestern fynbos
regions in South Africa
, with over fifty occurring on the Cape Peninsula
alone. The species Aspalathus linearis is commercially important, being farmed as the source of Rooibos tea
.
Aspalathus species generally are shrubs or sometimes shrublets. They typically are bushy, but some species may be sprawling or erect with free-standing branches. The flowers of most species are plentiful in season, a rich, showy yellow very common in the Western Cape
mountains in particular. The flowers of some yellow-flowering species (such as Aspalathus cordata) turn bright red as they fade. Some species, such as Aspalathus forbesii have white or cream flowers, and others, such as Aspalathus costulata and Aspalathus cordata have flowers in various shades ranging from pink to pale violet, whereas Aspalathus nigra commonly has slate-blue flowers.
Aspalathus leaves are sessile
and are simple in some species, but trifoliate
in others. They commonly are fascicled
. In some species they bear hard, sharp, spines at their tips. There are no stipules.
Aspalathus species may be grouped into four categories for purposes of rough identification in the field. One group has undivided leaves, never tufted. this includes Rooibos
, Aspalathus linearis with it needle-like leaves, and Aspalathus cordata with its stiff, neatly cordate
leaves with their aggressively spiny tips, are typical examples. Another group has leaflets sharp, stiff, and acicular
. Examples include Aspalathus astroites and Aspalathus chenopoda.
A third group has cylindrical, fleshy leaves, not spiny, for example Aspalathus capitata and Aspalathus pinguis, while members of the fourth group, such as Aspalathus aspalathoides and Aspalathus securifolia have more or less flat leaflets.
The fruit of Aspalathus is a pod, and in the majority of species the ovary has two ovules that yield only one seed per pod. However, some pods are several-seeded.
Various species of Aspalathus have been used in traditional medicines and as "bush teas", including Aspalathus tenuifolia, but it is difficult to know which sources to trust, because many specific names have been changed or confused in the past. Also, many uses were very local, and there was a good deal of confusion between different species, even sometimes with similar genera
, such as Cyclopia (genus)
, some species of which yield honeybush
tea.
Flowering plant
The flowering plants , also known as Angiospermae or Magnoliophyta, are the most diverse group of land plants. Angiosperms are seed-producing plants like the gymnosperms and can be distinguished from the gymnosperms by a series of synapomorphies...
s in the legume family, Fabaceae
Fabaceae
The Fabaceae or Leguminosae, commonly known as the legume, pea, or bean family, is a large and economically important family of flowering plants. The group is the third largest land plant family, behind only the Orchidaceae and Asteraceae, with 730 genera and over 19,400 species...
. The yellow flowers and spiny
Thorns, spines, and prickles
In botanical morphology, thorns, spines, and prickles are hard structures with sharp, or at least pointed, ends. In spite of this common feature, they differ in their growth and development on the plant; they are modified versions of different plant organs, stems, stipules, leaf veins, or hairs...
habit of some species have suggested a resemblance to Ulex europaeus, the thorny "English gorse
Gorse
Gorse, furze, furse or whin is a genus of about 20 plant species of thorny evergreen shrubs in the subfamily Faboideae of the pea family Fabaceae, native to western Europe and northwest Africa, with the majority of species in Iberia.Gorse is closely related to the brooms, and like them, has green...
" Accordingly "Cape Gorse" has been proposed as a common name although the resemblance is largely superficial; for instance, gorse is thorny
Thorns, spines, and prickles
In botanical morphology, thorns, spines, and prickles are hard structures with sharp, or at least pointed, ends. In spite of this common feature, they differ in their growth and development on the plant; they are modified versions of different plant organs, stems, stipules, leaf veins, or hairs...
, whereas Aspalathus species are variously spiny or unarmed. The genus belongs to the sub family Faboideae
Faboideae
Faboideae is a subfamily of the flowering plant family Fabaceae or Leguminosae. One acceptable alternative name for the subfamily is Papilionoideae....
. There are over 270 species, mainly endemic to southwestern fynbos
Fynbos
Fynbos is the natural shrubland or heathland vegetation occurring in a small belt of the Western Cape of South Africa, mainly in winter rainfall coastal and mountainous areas with a Mediterranean climate...
regions in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, with over fifty occurring on the Cape Peninsula
Table Mountain National Park
Table Mountain National Park, previously known as the Cape Peninsula National Park, is a national park in Cape Town, South Africa, proclaimed on May 29, 1998, for the purpose of protecting the natural environment of the Table Mountain Chain, and in particular the rare fynbos vegetation...
alone. The species Aspalathus linearis is commercially important, being farmed as the source of Rooibos tea
Rooibos
Rooibos is a broom-like member of the legume family of plants growing in South Africa's fynbos.The generic name comes from the plant Calicotome villosa, aspalathos in Greek. This plant has very similar growth and flowers to the redbush...
.
Aspalathus species generally are shrubs or sometimes shrublets. They typically are bushy, but some species may be sprawling or erect with free-standing branches. The flowers of most species are plentiful in season, a rich, showy yellow very common in the Western Cape
Western Cape
The Western Cape is a province in the south west of South Africa. The capital is Cape Town. Prior to 1994, the region that now forms the Western Cape was part of the much larger Cape Province...
mountains in particular. The flowers of some yellow-flowering species (such as Aspalathus cordata) turn bright red as they fade. Some species, such as Aspalathus forbesii have white or cream flowers, and others, such as Aspalathus costulata and Aspalathus cordata have flowers in various shades ranging from pink to pale violet, whereas Aspalathus nigra commonly has slate-blue flowers.
Aspalathus leaves are sessile
Sessility (botany)
In botany, sessility is a characteristic of plants whose flowers or leaves are borne directly from the stem or peduncle, and thus lack a petiole or pedicel...
and are simple in some species, but trifoliate
Leaf shape
In botany, leaf shape is characterised with the following terms :* Acicular : Slender and pointed, needle-like* Acuminate : Tapering to a long point...
in others. They commonly are fascicled
Fascicle (botany)
In botany, a fascicle is a bundle of leaves or flowers, or of the vascular tissues that supply these organs with nutrients...
. In some species they bear hard, sharp, spines at their tips. There are no stipules.
Aspalathus species may be grouped into four categories for purposes of rough identification in the field. One group has undivided leaves, never tufted. this includes Rooibos
Rooibos
Rooibos is a broom-like member of the legume family of plants growing in South Africa's fynbos.The generic name comes from the plant Calicotome villosa, aspalathos in Greek. This plant has very similar growth and flowers to the redbush...
, Aspalathus linearis with it needle-like leaves, and Aspalathus cordata with its stiff, neatly cordate
Leaf shape
In botany, leaf shape is characterised with the following terms :* Acicular : Slender and pointed, needle-like* Acuminate : Tapering to a long point...
leaves with their aggressively spiny tips, are typical examples. Another group has leaflets sharp, stiff, and acicular
Leaf shape
In botany, leaf shape is characterised with the following terms :* Acicular : Slender and pointed, needle-like* Acuminate : Tapering to a long point...
. Examples include Aspalathus astroites and Aspalathus chenopoda.
A third group has cylindrical, fleshy leaves, not spiny, for example Aspalathus capitata and Aspalathus pinguis, while members of the fourth group, such as Aspalathus aspalathoides and Aspalathus securifolia have more or less flat leaflets.
The fruit of Aspalathus is a pod, and in the majority of species the ovary has two ovules that yield only one seed per pod. However, some pods are several-seeded.
Various species of Aspalathus have been used in traditional medicines and as "bush teas", including Aspalathus tenuifolia, but it is difficult to know which sources to trust, because many specific names have been changed or confused in the past. Also, many uses were very local, and there was a good deal of confusion between different species, even sometimes with similar genera
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
, such as Cyclopia (genus)
Cyclopia (genus)
Cyclopia is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family, Fabaceae. It belongs to the sub family Faboideae. The description was published by Étienne Pierre Ventenat in 1808. The name Ibbetsonia, published two years later, is regarded as a synonym of this genus; John Sims had commemorated the...
, some species of which yield honeybush
Honeybush
Honeybush , or 'Heuningbos' in Afrikaans, is commonly used to make an infusion in the same manner as tea. It grows only in small areas in the southwest and southeast of South Africa and has many similarities with rooibos.Honeybush is so named because the flowers smell of honey...
tea.