Plants & Fungi A - Z
Explore our profiles of plants and fungi.
These illustrated profiles contain a wealth of facts, including details on conservation, uses and habitats – as well as Kew’s connections with the species. They have been chosen to inspire interest in plants, detail our science and conservation work and showcase star plants in the Gardens.
This is a constantly growing resource with new profiles added every week - so do be sure to check back regularly.
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Acacia anegadensis (poke-me-boy)
Few trees are under greater threat from increases in sea level due to climate change than poke-me-boy, found almost exclusively on one of the British Virgin Islands (Anegada), which stands only 8 m above the Caribbean Sea.
More: Building materials, Gums and resins, Kew discoveries, Legume family, Trees
Acacia baileyana (Cootamundra wattle)
Cootamundra wattle is a graceful tree with beautiful fern-like foliage and bright golden-yellow flower heads, and is widely cultivated as an ornamental.
More: Legume family, Ornamentals, Trees
Acacia karroo (sweet thorn)
The fast-growing sweet thorn, with its striking yellow pompom-like flowerheads, is perhaps the most well-used acacia in southern Africa.
More: Legume family, Trees, Gums and resins, Food, Medicinal, Building materials
Acacia mangium (brown salwood)
Fast-growing brown salwood trees are planted on a vast scale for the production of paper and solid wood products.
More: Trees, Legume family, Building materials
Acacia menabeensis
Acacia menabeensis is a Critically Endangered shrub, which is restricted to Madagascar.
More: Legume family, Trees
Acacia nilotica (acacia)
The wood of Acacia nilotica was used by ancient Egyptians to make statues and furniture.
More: Building materials, Medicinal, Trees, Legume family, Gums and resins, Traditions and beliefs
Acacia senegal (gum arabic)
Gum arabic has been used for at least 4,000 years in the preparation of food, in human and veterinary medicine, in crafts and as a cosmetic.
More: Medicinal, Building materials, Legume family, Trees, Gums and resins, Beauty and cosmetics
Acacia torrei
Restricted to central Mozambique, Acacia torrei was known from only three herbarium specimens collected in the 1940s, until further collections were made by Kew botanists in 2006.
More: Legume family
Albizia adianthifolia (flat-crown albizia)
Flat-crown albizia is an African tree with a wealth of uses, from the simple provision of shade to the preparation of a love charm.
More: Legume family, Ornamentals, Gums and resins, Medicinal, Building materials, Plant fungal relationships, Traditions and beliefs, Trees
Astragalus sinuatus (Whited’s milkvetch)
Whited’s milkvetch is a critically endangered legume, restricted to Washington State, USA.
More: Legume family
Berlinia korupensis
This rare rainforest giant was recently discovered in Cameroon.
More: Legume family, Kew discoveries, Out of the ordinary
Berlinia razzifera
Berlinia razzifera is a rare rainforest tree from river banks in the Loango National Park of Gabon.
More: Trees, Legume family, Plant fungal relationships, Kew discoveries
Brenierea insignis (andrabe)
This bizarre Madagascan species Brenierea insignis has unusual flattened stems and is only really recognisable as a species of legume when in fruit.
More: Legume family
Camoensia brevicalyx
The pink-flowered liane Camoensia brevicalyx is widely distributed in Africa, but is infrequently collected and poorly-known scientifically.
More: Legume family
Cicer arietinum (chickpea)
Widely cultivated for its nutritious seeds, chickpea is thought to have originated in Turkey, Syria and Iran.
More: Food, Medicinal, Legume family
Cojoba graciliflora (Guadeloupe blackbead)
Guadeloupe blackbead has beautiful clusters of creamy-white flowers and stunning red pods shaped like a string of beads and containing black seeds.
More: Legume family, Ornamentals, Medicinal, Trees
Colophospermum mopane (mopane)
The mopane tree is reputed to provide the best fuelwood in Africa.
More: Fuels, Trees, Legume family
Dalbergia andapensis (hazovola)
An endangered tree from northeast Madagascar, Dalbergia andapensis is threatened by local deforestation.
More: Legume family, Trees
Daniellia alsteeniana (mulombe)
Daniellia alsteeniana is one of the most charismatic and conspicuous trees in the woodlands and dry forests of northeastern Angola, where Kew is documenting species diversity to help build a case for conservation of this unique region.
More: Legume family, Trees, Gums and resins, Building materials, Saving species
Delonix decaryi (fengoky)
Delonix decaryi, a tree with a cigar-shaped trunk, is found in the dry spiny forest of Madagascar, and sometimes planted as a living fence.
More: Trees, Legume family
Delonix regia (flamboyant)
Although widely cultivated in the tropics since the 19th century, the native habitat of flamboyant was unknown to science until the 1930s, when it was rediscovered growing in the wild in Madagascar.
More: Trees, Legume family, Ornamentals
Erythrina senegalensis (coral tree)
One of the coral trees: a scarlet beauty with a sting in its tail.
More: Legume family, Ornamentals, Medicinal
Gagnebina commersoniana
A small shrub from Madagascar, Gagnebina commersoniana was named in honour of the 18th century French naturalist J.-P. Commerson.
More: Legume family
Gilbertiodendron dewevrei (abeum)
Gilbertiodendron dewevrei is a large, evergreen tree that dominates forests in parts of central Africa.
More: Trees, Legume family, Building materials, Medicinal
Glycyrrhiza glabra (liquorice)
A herb belonging to the pea and bean family, liquorice is cultivated for its underground stems that are used to flavour confectionery; it is also valued for its medicinal qualities.
More: Legume family, Food, Medicinal
Guibourtia ehie (black hyedua)
A tall forest tree from west Central Africa, black hyedua is valued for its timber, which is used in general carpentry in Ghana as a substitute for rosewood (Dalbergia spp.)
More: Legume family, Building materials
Isoberlinia doka (doka)
Doka is a vigorously colonising African tree which often dominates the woodland belt that stretches from Guinea in the west to Uganda in the east.
More: Legume family, Building materials, Traditions and beliefs
Lupinus polyphyllus (large-leaved lupin)
Large-leaved lupin is one of the most spectacular perennial lupins native to western North America.
More: Legume family, Ornamentals
Michelsonia microphylla (kasisi)
Michelsonia microphylla is a rare, although once locally abundant, tropical African forest tree from the Congo basin.
More: Legume family, Building materials, Trees
Mimosa pudica (sensitive plant)
Few can resist touching the compound leaves of the sensitive plant and watching them fold up in response.
More: Legume family, Amazing adaptations, Medicinal, Ornamentals
Ononis rotundifolia (round-leaved restharrow)
Round-leaved restharrow is a beautiful, dwarf shrub with large, pink, red-veined pea-flowers and round, toothed, sticky leaflets.
More: Alpines, Ornamentals, Legume family
Ophrestia madagascariensis
A member of the pea and bean family, Ophrestia madagascariensis is a perennial vine that is only found in northwestern Madagascar.
More: Legume family
Parkia bicolor
A tree from the forests of West and Central Africa, Parkia bicolor has large, reddish, pendent flower heads that are pollinated by fruit bats at night.
More: Legume family, Building materials, Medicinal
Pterocarpus lucens (small-leaved bloodwood)
Small-leaved bloodwood is an African shrub or tree with many uses, and is considered threatened in northern Burkina Faso.
More: Legume family, Building materials, Medicinal, Fuels
Robinia pseudoacacia (black locust)
A rapidly growing tree native to southeastern North America, black locust is loved by many as an elegant ornamental of parks and city streets.
More: Trees, Legume family, Building materials, Beauty and cosmetics, Ornamentals
Strongylodon macrobotrys (jade vine)
Strongylodon macrobotrys is commonly known as the jade vine, due to its striking blue-green flowers. The destruction of rainforests in the Philippines threatens this species in the wild.
More: Legume family, Saving species
Styphnolobium japonicum (pagoda tree)
The pagoda tree was introduced to Britain in 1753; Kew’s own specimen is believed to date back to 1760.
More: Legume family, Trees, Building materials, Textiles and dyes, Medicinal
Sutherlandia frutescens (balloon pea)
Balloon pea is a South African herbal remedy traditionally used for stomach problems, diabetes and lately as an important tonic to improve the overall health of cancer and HIV/AIDS patients.
More: Medicinal, Legume family, Ornamentals
Swainsona formosa (Sturt's desert pea)
Sturt's desert pea has striking, blood-red flowers with bulbous black centres, and is the South Australian floral emblem.
More: Legume family, Out of the ordinary, Ornamentals, Traditions and beliefs
Talbotiella velutina
Talbotiella velutina is a rare rainforest tree, which is only found in two localities.
More: Trees, Legume family
Tamarindus indica (tamarind)
From the sausage-shaped fruits of the tamarind tree comes the sticky acidic pulp that has been used as a food ingredient for thousands of years.
More: Trees, Legume family, Food, Ancient
Tephrosia chimanimaniana
A Near Threatened shrub belonging to the pea and bean family, Tephrosia chimanimaniana is restricted to the Chimanimani Mountains in eastern Zimbabwe.
More: Legume family
Tetraberlinia bifoliolata (ekaba)
Tetraberlinia bifoliolata is a tropical African tree with yellow flowers and explosive seed pods.
More: Trees, Legume family, Plant fungal relationships
Trifolium pratense (red clover)
Red clover is grown widely across the world as a forage crop for livestock and poultry and has also been used in folk medicine.
More: Legume family, Medicinal, Food
Vicia orobus (wood bitter-vetch)
Wood bitter-vetch is an erect herb related to the world-renowned broad bean (Vicia faba), a member of the pea and bean family (Leguminosae).
More: Legume family
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