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 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 its 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. DahlgrenAspalathus acanthoclada R. DahlgrenAspalathus acanthophylla Eckl. & Zeyh.Aspalathus acicularis E. Mey.
  • * subsp. acicularis E. Mey.
  • * subsp. planifolia R. DahlgrenAspalathus acidota R. DahlgrenAspalathus acifera R. DahlgrenAspalathus aciloba R. DahlgrenAspalathus aciphylla Harv.Aspalathus aculeata Thunb.Aspalathus acuminata Lam.
  • * subsp. acuminata Lam.
  • * subsp. pungens R. DahlgrenAspalathus acutiflora R. DahlgrenAspalathus albens L.Aspalathus alopecurus Benth.Aspalathus alpestris R. DahlgrenAspalathus altissima R. DahlgrenAspalathus angustifolia R. Dahlgren
  • * subsp. angustifolia R. Dahlgren
  • * subsp. robusta R. DahlgrenAspalathus araneosa L.Aspalathus arenaria R. DahlgrenAspalathus argentea L.Aspalathus argyrella MacOwanAspalathus argyrophanes R. DahlgrenAspalathus arida E. Mey.Aspalathus aristata ComptonAspalathus aristifolia R. DahlgrenAspalathus aspalathoides R. DahlgrenAspalathus asparagoides L. f.
  • * subsp. asparagoides L. f.
  • * subsp. rubrofusca R. DahlgrenAspalathus astroites L.Aspalathus attenuata R. DahlgrenAspalathus aurantiaca R. DahlgrenAspalathus barbata R. DahlgrenAspalathus barbigera R. DahlgrenAspalathus batodes Eckl. & Zeyh.Aspalathus bidouwensis R. DahlgrenAspalathus biflora E. Mey.Aspalathus bodkinii BolusAspalathus borbonifolia R. DahlgrenAspalathus bowieana R. DahlgrenAspalathus bracteata Thunb.Aspalathus burchelliana Benth.Aspalathus caespitosa R. DahlgrenAspalathus calcarata Harv.Aspalathus calcarea R. DahlgrenAspalathus callosa L.Aspalathus campestris R. DahlgrenAspalathus candicans W.T. AitonAspalathus candidula R. DahlgrenAspalathus capensis R. DahlgrenAspalathus capitata L.Aspalathus carnosa BergiusAspalathus cephalotes Thunb.
  • * subsp. cephalotes Thunb.
  • * subsp. obscuriflora R. Dahlgren
  • * subsp. violacea R. DahlgrenAspalathus cerrantha Eckl. & Zeyh.Aspalathus chenopoda L.Aspalathus chortophila Eckl. & Zeyh.Aspalathus chrysantha R. DahlgrenAspalathus ciliaris L.Aspalathus cinerascens E. Mey.Aspalathus citrina R. DahlgrenAspalathus cliffortiifolia R. DahlgrenAspalathus cliffortioides BolusAspalathus collina Eckl. & Zeyh.Aspalathus commutata R. DahlgrenAspalathus compacta R. DahlgrenAspalathus complicata R. DahlgrenAspalathus comptonii R. DahlgrenAspalathus concava BolusAspalathus concavifolia R. DahlgrenAspalathus condensata R. DahlgrenAspalathus confusa R. DahlgrenAspalathus cordata R. DahlgrenAspalathus cordicarpa R. DahlgrenAspalathus corniculata R. DahlgrenAspalathus corrudifolia BergiusAspalathus costulata Benth.Aspalathus crassisepala R. DahlgrenAspalathus crenata R. DahlgrenAspalathus cuspidata R. DahlgrenAspalathus cymbiformis DC.Aspalathus cytisoides Lam.Aspalathus dasyantha Eckl. & Zeyh.Aspalathus decora R. DahlgrenAspalathus densifolia Benth.Aspalathus desertorum BolusAspalathus dianthophora E. PhillipsAspalathus diffusa Eckl. & Zeyh.Aspalathus digitifolia R. DahlgrenAspalathus divaricata Thunb.
  • * subsp. divaricata Thunb.
  • * subsp. gracilior R. DahlgrenAspalathus dunsdoniana R. DahlgrenAspalathus elliptica R. DahlgrenAspalathus ericifolia L.
  • * subsp. ericifolia L.
  • * subsp. minuta R. Dahlgren
  • * subsp. pusilla R. DahlgrenAspalathus erythrodes Eckl. & Zeyh.Aspalathus esterhuyseniae R. DahlgrenAspalathus excelsa R. DahlgrenAspalathus fasciculata R. DahlgrenAspalathus ferox Harv.Aspalathus filicaulis Eckl. & Zeyh.Aspalathus flexuosa Thunb.Aspalathus florifera R. DahlgrenAspalathus florulenta R. DahlgrenAspalathus forbesii Harv.Aspalathus fourcadei L. BolusAspalathus frankenioides DC.Aspalathus fusca Thunb.Aspalathus galeata E. Mey.Aspalathus gerrardii BolusAspalathus glabrata R. DahlgrenAspalathus glabrescens R. DahlgrenAspalathus globosa AndrewsAspalathus globulosa E. Mey.Aspalathus glossoides R. DahlgrenAspalathus grandiflora Benth.Aspalathus granulata R. DahlgrenAspalathus grobleri R. DahlgrenAspalathus heterophylla L. f.Aspalathus hirta E. Mey.
  • * subsp. hirta E. Mey.
  • * subsp. stellaris R. DahlgrenAspalathus hispida Thunb.
  • * subsp. albiflora R. Dahlgren
  • * subsp. hispida Thunb.Aspalathus humilis BolusAspalathus hypnoides R. DahlgrenAspalathus hystrix L. f.Aspalathus incana R. DahlgrenAspalathus incompta Thunb.Aspalathus incurva Thunb.Aspalathus incurvifolia Walp.Aspalathus inops Eckl. & Zeyh.Aspalathus intermedia Eckl. & Zeyh.Aspalathus intervallaris BolusAspalathus intricata ComptonAspalathus joubertiana Eckl. & Zeyh.Aspalathus juniperina Thunb.Aspalathus karrooensis R. DahlgrenAspalathus kougaensis R. DahlgrenAspalathus lactea Thunb.
  • * subsp. breviloba R. Dahlgren
  • * subsp. lactea Thunb.Aspalathus laeta BolusAspalathus lamarckiana R. DahlgrenAspalathus lanata E. Mey.Aspalathus lanceicarpa R. DahlgrenAspalathus lanceifolia R. DahlgrenAspalathus lanifera R. DahlgrenAspalathus laricifolia Bergius
  • * subsp. canescens R. Dahlgren
  • * subsp. laricifolia BergiusAspalathus latifolia BolusAspalathus leiantha R. DahlgrenAspalathus lenticula BolusAspalathus leptoptera BolusAspalathus leucophylla R. DahlgrenAspalathus linearis R. DahlgrenAspalathus linguiloba R. DahlgrenAspalathus longifolia Benth.Aspalathus longipes Harv.Aspalathus lotiflora R. DahlgrenAspalathus macrantha Harv.Aspalathus macrocarpa Eckl. & Zeyh.Aspalathus marginalis Eckl. & Zeyh.Aspalathus marginata Harv.Aspalathus microphylla DC.Aspalathus millefolia R. DahlgrenAspalathus monosperma R. DahlgrenAspalathus mundiana Eckl. & Zeyh.Aspalathus muraltioides Eckl. & Zeyh.Aspalathus myrtillifolia Benth.Aspalathus neglecta T. M. SalterAspalathus nigra L.Aspalathus nivea Thunb.Aspalathus nudiflora Harv.Aspalathus obliqua R. DahlgrenAspalathus oblongifolia R. DahlgrenAspalathus obtusifolia R. DahlgrenAspalathus odontoloba R. DahlgrenAspalathus oliveri R. DahlgrenAspalathus opaca Eckl. & Zeyh.
  • * subsp. opaca Eckl. & Zeyh.
  • * subsp. pappeana R. Dahlgren
  • * subsp. rostriloba R. DahlgrenAspalathus orbiculata Benth.Aspalathus pachyloba Benth.
  • * subsp. macroclada R. Dahlgren
  • * subsp. pachyloba Benth.
  • * subsp. rugulicarpa R. Dahlgren
  • * subsp. villicaulis R. DahlgrenAspalathus pallescens Eckl. & Zeyh.Aspalathus pallidiflora R. DahlgrenAspalathus parviflora BergiusAspalathus patens R. DahlgrenAspalathus pedicellata Harv.Aspalathus pedunculata Houtt.Aspalathus pendula R. DahlgrenAspalathus perfoliata R. DahlgrenAspalathus perforata R. DahlgrenAspalathus pigmentosa R. DahlgrenAspalathus pilantha R. DahlgrenAspalathus pinea Thunb.Aspalathus pinguis Thunb.Aspalathus polycephala E. Mey.Aspalathus potbergensis R. DahlgrenAspalathus proboscidea R. DahlgrenAspalathus prostrata Eckl. & Zeyh.Aspalathus psoraleoides Benth.Aspalathus pulicifolia R. DahlgrenAspalathus pumila R. DahlgrenAspalathus pycnantha R. DahlgrenAspalathus quadrata L. BolusAspalathus quinquefolia L.
  • * subsp. compacta R. Dahlgren
  • * subsp. quinquefolia L.
  • * subsp. virgata R. DahlgrenAspalathus radiata R. DahlgrenAspalathus ramosissima R. DahlgrenAspalathus ramulosa E. Mey.Aspalathus rectistyla R. DahlgrenAspalathus recurva Benth.Aspalathus recurvispina R. DahlgrenAspalathus repens R. DahlgrenAspalathus retroflexa L.
  • * subsp. bicolor R. Dahlgren
  • * subsp. retroflexa L.Aspalathus rigidifolia R. DahlgrenAspalathus rosea R. DahlgrenAspalathus rostrata Benth.Aspalathus rostripetala R. DahlgrenAspalathus rubens Thunb.Aspalathus rubiginosa R. DahlgrenAspalathus rugosa Thunb.Aspalathus rupestris R. DahlgrenAspalathus rycroftii R. DahlgrenAspalathus salicifolia R. DahlgrenAspalathus salteri L. BolusAspalathus sanguinea Thunb.Aspalathus sceptrum-aureum R. DahlgrenAspalathus secunda E. Mey.Aspalathus securifolia Eckl. & Zeyh.Aspalathus sericea BergiusAspalathus serpens R. DahlgrenAspalathus setacea Eckl. & Zeyh.Aspalathus simii BolusAspalathus smithii R. DahlgrenAspalathus spectabilis R. DahlgrenAspalathus spicata Thunb.Aspalathus spiculata R. DahlgrenAspalathus spinescens Thunb.
  • * subsp. lepida R. Dahlgren
  • * subsp. spinescens Thunb.Aspalathus spinosa L.
  • * subsp. flavispina R. Dahlgren
  • * subsp. glauca R. Dahlgren
  • * subsp. spinosa L.Aspalathus spinosissima R. DahlgrenAspalathus stenophylla Eckl. & Zeyh.Aspalathus steudeliana Brongn.Aspalathus stokoei L. BolusAspalathus suaveolens Eckl. & Zeyh.Aspalathus submissa R. DahlgrenAspalathus subtingens Eckl. & Zeyh.Aspalathus subulata Thunb.Aspalathus sulphurea R. DahlgrenAspalathus taylorii R. DahlgrenAspalathus tenuissima R. DahlgrenAspalathus teres Eckl. & Zeyh.
  • * subsp. teres Eckl. & Zeyh.
  • * subsp. thodei R. DahlgrenAspalathus ternata DruceAspalathus 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. DahlgrenAspalathus varians Eckl. & Zeyh.Aspalathus variegata Eckl. & Zeyh.Aspalathus venosa E. Mey.Aspalathus verbasciformis R. DahlgrenAspalathus vermiculata Lam.Aspalathus villosa Thunb.Aspalathus vulnerans Thunb.Aspalathus vulpina R. DahlgrenAspalathus wittebergensis Compton & P.E. BarnesAspalathus wurmbeana E. Mey.Aspalathus zeyheri R. Dahlgren