Yeheb nut
| Cordeauxia edulis | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Rosids |
| Order: | Fabales |
| Family: | Fabaceae |
| Subfamily: | Caesalpinioideae |
| Tribe: | Caesalpinieae |
| Genus: |
Cordeauxia Hemsley |
| Species: | C. edulis |
| Binomial name | |
|
Cordeauxia edulis Hemsley |
|
Cordeauxia edulis is a plant in the Fabaceae family and the sole species in the genus Cordeauxia. Known by the common name yeheb bush, it is one of the economically most important wild plant at the Horn of Africa, but it is little known outside of its distribution area. It is a multipurpose plant, which allows the survival of nomads by providing them with seeds. Further the bush serves forage for livestock, firewood and dye. Its wild population is currently declining. Because it is potentially valuable for other hot, dry regions as a resource for food and fodder, it's recommended to take measures against its extinction.
Cordeauxia edulis Hemsl. is a leguminous plant (Fabaceae) from the genus Cordeauxia. The genus Cordeauxia is closely related to Caesalpinia and Stuhlmannia. There are at least two varieties of the species C. edulis: Moqley and Suley. Moqley has smaller and darker leaves as well as a smaller stem diameter than Suley. Furthermore, the pods of Moqley include just one seed whereas the pods of Suley contain several smaller seeds. The seeds of Moqley are claimed to be sweeter. The common name of C. edulis is Yeheb-Nut (English) or Yeheb (French). Other names are Yebb, Hebb, Ye’eh, Yi-ib, Yehib or Yicib. In amharic it is called Ehb, Qud or Quda.
The yeheb nut bush has been known to the Somali nomads for centuries. The first recovery of his existence dates back to 1871, when the Italian Robecchi noticed the plant when traversing Somalia to Bari. The bush has been named after Cordeaux, a botanic who first obtained botanical specimens in the Ogaden province (Ethiopia) which were found to be a leguminous plant belonging to a hitherto unknown genus in the Caesalpinaceae. Afterward, Hemsley gave the plant the generic name Cordeauxia, with the specific epithet edulis (edible). In 1929, the yeheb bush covered half of the vegetation of large territories in Somalia and south-east Ethiopia. In 1983 the distribution has been reduced to small regions.
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