Perennial Horsegram

Macrotyloma axillare

Native to:
Angola, Botswana, Burundi, Cameroon, Comoros, DR Congo, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Réunion, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan-South Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

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Taxonomy

Division:
Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
Family:
Fabaceae
Genus:
Macrotyloma
Species:
Macrotyloma axillare
USDA Symbol:
MAAX2

Growth Characteristics

Height:
100 cm
Light Requirements:
Full Sun
Drought Tolerance:
High
Bloom Months:
jun,jul,aug,sep
Bloom Colors:
yellow
Ground Cover:
Yes

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:
livestock forage, bees
Fire Ecology:
Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
Fire Notes:
Resprouts from crown and roots after fire or cutting; commonly used in fire-prone tropical pastures.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:
well-drained, sandy to loamy soil
pH:
5.5 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
Drainage:
excellent drainage required
Moisture:
dry to moderate
Notes:
native to tropical and subtropical regions

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:
None required
Scarification:
Seed coat scarification required before sowing
Germination Time:
7–21 days
Notes:
Scarification or hot water treatment improves germination. Seeds have hard seed coat typical of legumes.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI