Page 20 - feb 22_Neat

sc gardens - plant enthusiasts

Fabaceae, is a family of plants that consist of more than 20,000 species of
trees, shrubs, vines, and herbs. What is incredible about this family is that
many species host bacteria in their roots within structures called root nodules.
These bacteria, known as rhizobia, have the ability to take nitrogen gas out
of the air and convert it to a form of nitrogen that can be used by the host
plant. Nitrogen is especially good at making leaves grow and is found in NPK
fertilizers - nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K). So herbaceous
plants in the fabaceae family are quite often used as green manure, and can be
grown and turned into the soil to improve its overall quality.

Some of the most important commercial species include soybeans (Glycine max), garden
peas (Pisum sativum), beans and cowpeas (Vicia, Vigna species), peanuts (Arachis hypogaea),
lablab (Lablab purpureus - below: top left) and alfalfa (Medicago sativa). In Botswana we have
an even more incredible resource, indigenous cowpeas, like Vigna unguiculata (below: top right),
which grow very well in semi-arid environments.
There are also some incredibly beautiful garden trees like our many Acacias; long-tail Cassia
(Cassia abbreviata bottom right); Flamboyant (Delonix regia opposite page), Coral tree (Erythrina
species), Carob (Ceratonia siliqua) as well as some garden plants like the stunningly famous
Wisteria sinensis (bottom left), sweet peas and our many indigenous indigoferas.
text & pics by S.C

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