Lessertia frutescens

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Lessertia frutescens
Lessertia frutescens 1DS-II 5142.jpg
Foliage, flowers and immature seed pods, at Rooikoppe, Little Karroo, Western Cape, South Africa
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Subfamily: Faboideae
Genus: Lessertia
Species:
L. frutescens
Binomial name
Lessertia frutescens
(L.) Goldblatt & J.C.Manning [1]

Lessertia frutescens (syn. Sutherlandia frutescens (L.) R.Br.; Colutea frutescens L. [1] ) is a southern African legume in the family Fabaceae. It is also known as cancer bush, [2] balloon pea, Cape bladder pea, sutherlandia; and phetola ("it changes") in seTswana, and insiswa ("the one that drives away the darkness") in isiZulu. It is a shrub with bitter, aromatic leaves, with red-orange flowers appearing in spring to mid-summer. [3] These are followed by inflated, air-filled pods containing the seeds. [4]

Contents

Description

Lessertia frutescens is a small bush growing up to about 1 m (39 in) high. It is native to dry parts of southern Africa, preferring full sun but tolerant of a wide variety of soil types. It is a tough, hardy, fast growing and drought tolerant but short lived plant. Seeds germinate readily in around two to three weeks and established plants self-seed readily. [3]

Cultivation

Seedlings may be vulnerable to damping off, but provided it is in well-drained soil, it grows readily and is not very vulnerable to pests. [3]

References

  1. 1 2 "Lessertia frutescens (L.) Goldblatt & J.C.Manning". Plants of the World Online . Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew . Retrieved 2025-07-04.
  2. ↑ NRCS. "Sutherlandia frutescens". PLANTS Database. United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Retrieved 4 December 2015.
  3. 1 2 3 Phakamani M' Afrika Xaba & Alice Notten (December 2015). "Lessertia frutescens (L.) Goldblatt & J.C.Manning subsp. frutescens (=Sutherlandia frutescens)". Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden . Retrieved 2025-07-04.
  4. ↑ Hogan, Sean (2004). Flora - The Gardener's Bible. Willoughby, New South Wales: Global Book Pub. Pty. Ltd. p. 1383. ISBN   1-74048-097-X.


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