Aspalathus

Aspalathus is a genus of flowering plants in the 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 subfamily 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 are normally bushy, however some species can grow sprawling or upright with branches that stand on their own. 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, some species of which yield honeybush tea.
Species
Aspalathus comprises the following species:
Aspalathus abietina Thunb.
Aspalathus acanthes Eckl. & Zeyh.
Aspalathus acanthiloba R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus acanthoclada R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus acanthophylla Eckl. & Zeyh.
Aspalathus acicularis E. Mey.
subsp. acicularis E. Mey.
subsp. planifolia R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus acidota R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus acifera R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus aciloba R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus aciphylla Harv.
Aspalathus aculeata Thunb.
Aspalathus acuminata Lam.
subsp. acuminata Lam.
subsp. pungens (Thunb.) R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus acutiflora R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus albens L.
Aspalathus alopecurus Benth.
Aspalathus alpestris (Benth.) R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus altissima R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus angustifolia (Lam.) R. Dahlgren
subsp. angustifolia (Lam.) R. Dahlgren
subsp. robusta (E. Phillips) R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus araneosa L.
Aspalathus arenaria R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus argentea L.
Aspalathus argyrella MacOwan
Aspalathus argyrophanes R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus arida E. Mey.
Aspalathus aristata Compton
Aspalathus aristifolia R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus aspalathoides (L.) R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus asparagoides L. f.
subsp. asparagoides L. f.
subsp. rubrofusca (Eckl. & Zeyh.) R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus astroites L.
Aspalathus attenuata R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus aurantiaca R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus barbata (Lam.) R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus barbigera R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus batodes Eckl. & Zeyh.
Aspalathus bidouwensis R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus biflora E. Mey.
Aspalathus bodkinii Bolus
Aspalathus borbonifolia R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus bowieana (Benth.) R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus bracteata Thunb.
Aspalathus burchelliana Benth.
Aspalathus caespitosa R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus calcarata Harv.
Aspalathus calcarea R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus callosa L.
Aspalathus campestris R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus candicans W.T. Aiton
Aspalathus candidula R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus capensis (Walp.) R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus capitata L.
Aspalathus carnosa Bergius
Aspalathus cephalotes Thunb.
subsp. cephalotes Thunb.
subsp. obscuriflora R. Dahlgren
subsp. violacea R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus cerrantha Eckl. & Zeyh.
Aspalathus chenopoda L.
Aspalathus chortophila Eckl. & Zeyh.
Aspalathus chrysantha R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus ciliaris L.
Aspalathus cinerascens E. Mey.
Aspalathus citrina R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus cliffortiifolia R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus cliffortioides Bolus
Aspalathus collina Eckl. & Zeyh.
Aspalathus commutata (Vogel) R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus compacta R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus complicata (Benth.) R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus comptonii R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus concava Bolus
Aspalathus concavifolia (Eckl. & Zeyh.) R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus condensata R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus confusa R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus cordata (L.) R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus cordicarpa (L.) R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus corniculata R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus corrudifolia Bergius
Aspalathus costulata Benth.
Aspalathus crassisepala R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus crenata (L.) R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus cuspidata R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus cymbiformis DC.
Aspalathus cytisoides Lam.
Aspalathus dasyantha Eckl. & Zeyh.
Aspalathus decora R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus densifolia Benth.
Aspalathus desertorum Bolus
Aspalathus dianthophora E. Phillips
Aspalathus diffusa Eckl. & Zeyh.
Aspalathus digitifolia R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus divaricata Thunb.
subsp. divaricata Thunb.
subsp. gracilior R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus dunsdoniana R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus elliptica (E. Phillips) R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus ericifolia L.
subsp. ericifolia L.
subsp. minuta R. Dahlgren
subsp. pusilla R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus erythrodes Eckl. & Zeyh.
Aspalathus esterhuyseniae R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus excelsa R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus fasciculata (Thunb.) R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus ferox Harv.
Aspalathus filicaulis Eckl. & Zeyh.
Aspalathus flexuosa Thunb.
Aspalathus florifera R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus florulenta R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus forbesii Harv.
Aspalathus fourcadei L. Bolus
Aspalathus frankenioides DC.
Aspalathus fusca Thunb.
Aspalathus galeata E. Mey.
Aspalathus gerrardii Bolus
Aspalathus glabrata R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus glabrescens R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus globosa Andrews
Aspalathus globulosa E. Mey.
Aspalathus glossoides R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus grandiflora Benth.
Aspalathus granulata R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus grobleri R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus heterophylla L. f.
Aspalathus hirta E. Mey.
subsp. hirta E. Mey.
subsp. stellaris R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus hispida Thunb.
subsp. albiflora (Eckl. & Zeyh.) R. Dahlgren
subsp. hispida Thunb.
Aspalathus humilis Bolus
Aspalathus hypnoides R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus hystrix L. f.
Aspalathus incana R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus incompta Thunb.
Aspalathus incurva Thunb.
Aspalathus incurvifolia Walp.
Aspalathus inops Eckl. & Zeyh.
Aspalathus intermedia Eckl. & Zeyh.
Aspalathus intervallaris Bolus
Aspalathus intricata Compton
Aspalathus joubertiana Eckl. & Zeyh.
Aspalathus juniperina Thunb.
Aspalathus karrooensis R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus kougaensis (Garab. ex R. Dahlgren) R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus lactea Thunb.
subsp. breviloba R. Dahlgren
subsp. lactea Thunb.
Aspalathus laeta Bolus
Aspalathus lamarckiana R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus lanata E. Mey.
Aspalathus lanceicarpa R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus lanceifolia R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus lanifera R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus laricifolia Bergius
subsp. canescens (L.) R. Dahlgren
subsp. laricifolia Bergius
Aspalathus latifolia Bolus
Aspalathus leiantha (E. Phillips) R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus lenticula Bolus
Aspalathus leptoptera Bolus
Aspalathus leucophylla R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus linearis (Burm. f.) R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus linguiloba R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus longifolia Benth.
Aspalathus longipes Harv.
Aspalathus lotiflora R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus macrantha Harv.
Aspalathus macrocarpa Eckl. & Zeyh.
Aspalathus marginalis Eckl. & Zeyh.
Aspalathus marginata Harv.
Aspalathus microphylla DC.
Aspalathus millefolia R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus monosperma (DC.) R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus mundiana Eckl. & Zeyh.
Aspalathus muraltioides Eckl. & Zeyh.
Aspalathus myrtillifolia Benth.
Aspalathus neglecta T. M. Salter
Aspalathus nigra L.
Aspalathus nivea Thunb.
Aspalathus nudiflora Harv.
Aspalathus obliqua R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus oblongifolia R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus obtusifolia R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus odontoloba R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus oliveri R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus opaca Eckl. & Zeyh.
subsp. opaca Eckl. & Zeyh.
subsp. pappeana (Harv.) R. Dahlgren
subsp. rostriloba R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus orbiculata Benth.
Aspalathus pachyloba Benth.
subsp. macroclada R. Dahlgren
subsp. pachyloba Benth.
subsp. rugulicarpa R. Dahlgren
subsp. villicaulis R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus pallescens Eckl. & Zeyh.
Aspalathus pallidiflora R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus parviflora Bergius
Aspalathus patens R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus pedicellata Harv.
Aspalathus pedunculata Houtt.
Aspalathus pendula R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus perfoliata (Lam.) R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus perforata (Thunb.) R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus pigmentosa R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus pilantha R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus pinea Thunb.
Aspalathus pinguis Thunb.
Aspalathus polycephala E. Mey.
Aspalathus potbergensis R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus proboscidea R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus prostrata Eckl. & Zeyh.
Aspalathus psoraleoides (C. Presl) Benth.
Aspalathus pulicifolia R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus pumila R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus pycnantha R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus quadrata L. Bolus
Aspalathus quinquefolia L.
subsp. compacta R. Dahlgren
subsp. quinquefolia L.
subsp. virgata (Thunb.) R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus radiata R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus ramosissima R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus ramulosa E. Mey.
Aspalathus rectistyla R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus recurva Benth.
Aspalathus recurvispina R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus repens R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus retroflexa L.
subsp. bicolor (Eckl. & Zeyh.) R. Dahlgren
subsp. retroflexa L.
Aspalathus rigidifolia R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus rosea R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus rostrata Benth.
Aspalathus rostripetala R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus rubens Thunb.
Aspalathus rubiginosa R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus rugosa Thunb.
Aspalathus rupestris R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus rycroftii R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus salicifolia R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus salteri L. Bolus
Aspalathus sanguinea Thunb.
Aspalathus sceptrum-aureum R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus secunda E. Mey.
Aspalathus securifolia Eckl. & Zeyh.
Aspalathus sericea Bergius
Aspalathus serpens R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus setacea Eckl. & Zeyh.
Aspalathus simii Bolus
Aspalathus smithii R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus spectabilis R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus spicata Thunb.
Aspalathus spiculata R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus spinescens Thunb.
subsp. lepida (E. Mey.) R. Dahlgren
subsp. spinescens Thunb.
Aspalathus spinosa L.
subsp. flavispina (C. Presl ex Benth.) R. Dahlgren
subsp. glauca (Eckl. & Zeyh.) R. Dahlgren
subsp. spinosa L.
Aspalathus spinosissima R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus stenophylla Eckl. & Zeyh.
Aspalathus steudeliana Brongn.
Aspalathus stokoei L. Bolus
Aspalathus suaveolens Eckl. & Zeyh.
Aspalathus submissa R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus subtingens Eckl. & Zeyh.
Aspalathus subulata Thunb.
Aspalathus sulphurea R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus taylorii R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus tenuissima R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus teres Eckl. & Zeyh.
subsp. teres Eckl. & Zeyh.
subsp. thodei R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus ternata (Thunb.) Druce
Aspalathus tridentata L.
Aspalathus triquetra Thunb.
Aspalathus truncata Eckl. & Zeyh.
Aspalathus tuberculata Walp.
Aspalathus tylodes Eckl. & Zeyh.
Aspalathus ulicina Eckl. & Zeyh.
subsp. kardouwensis R. Dahlgren
subsp. ulicina Eckl. & Zeyh.
Aspalathus uniflora L.
Aspalathus vacciniifolia R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus varians Eckl. & Zeyh.
Aspalathus variegata Eckl. & Zeyh.
Aspalathus venosa E. Mey.
Aspalathus verbasciformis R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus vermiculata Lam.
Aspalathus villosa Thunb.
Aspalathus vulnerans Thunb.
Aspalathus vulpina R. Dahlgren
Aspalathus wittebergensis Compton & P.E. Barnes
Aspalathus wurmbeana E. Mey.
Aspalathus zeyheri (Harv.) R. Dahlgren
References
Crotalarieae
Fabaceae genera
Flora of South Africa
Flora of Lesotho
Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus