Aspalathus

{{Short description|Genus of legumes}} {{Automatic taxobox | image = Rooibos (Aspalathus linearis).jpg | image_caption = ''Aspalathus linearis'' | taxon = Aspalathus | authority = L. (1753) | subdivision_ranks = Species | subdivision = 291; see text | subdivision_ref = <ref name = powo>[https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:21729-1 ''Aspalanthus'' L.] ''Plants of the World Online''. Retrieved 11 August 2023.</ref> | synonyms = * ''Achironia'' Steudel{{citation needed|date=August 2023}} * ''Achyronia'' {{small|L. (1758), nom. superfl.}} * ''Acropodium'' {{small|Desv. (1826)}} * ''Bootia'' {{small|Adans. (1763), nom. superfl.}} * ''Borbonia'' {{small|L. (1753)}} * ''Cyphocalyx'' {{small|C.Presl (1845)}} * ''Diallosperma'' {{small|Raf. (1838)}} * ''Eriocyclax'' {{small|Neck. (1790), opus utique oppr.}} * ''Heterolathus'' {{small|C.Presl (1845)}} * ''Pachyraphea'' {{small|C.Presl (1845)}} * ''Paraspalathus'' {{small|C.Presl (1845)}} * ''Plagiostigma'' {{small|C.Presl (1845)}} * ''Psilolepus'' {{small|C.Presl (1845)}} * ''Sarcophyllum'' {{small|Willd. (1802), orth. var.}} * ''Sarcophyllus'' {{small|Thunb. (1799)}} * ''Streptosema'' {{small|C.Presl (1845)}} * ''Trineuria'' {{small|C.Presl (1845)}} |synonyms_ref = <ref name = powo/> }}

'''''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"<ref name=Marloth>{{cite book | author = Marloth R. | title = The Flora of South Africa | year = 1932 | publisher = Darter Bros., Cape Town, South Africa}}</ref> 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.<ref name=Marloth/> The species ''Aspalathus linearis'' is commercially important, being farmed as the source of Rooibos tea.<ref name=Manning>{{cite book | author = Manning J. | title = Field Guide to Fynbos | publisher = Struik Publishers | location = Cape Town | year = 2008 | isbn = 978-1-77007-265-7 }}</ref>

''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 (such as ''Aspalathus cordata'') 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.<ref name=Manning/>

''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.<ref name = "Dyer">{{cite book | author = Dyer RA. | title = The Genera of Southern African Flowering Plants | year = 1975 | publisher = Department of Agricultural Technical Services, Botanical Research Institute | isbn = 0-621-02854-1}}</ref>

''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''.<ref name=Manning/>

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.<ref name=Manning/>

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.<ref name=Marloth/> However, some pods are several-seeded.<ref name = "Dyer"/>

Various species of ''Aspalathus'' have been used in traditional medicines and as "bush teas", including ''Aspalathus tenuifolia'',<ref name= "WattPP">{{cite book |vauthors=Watt JM, Breyer-Brandwijk MG | title = The Medicinal and Poisonous Plants of Southern and Eastern Africa | edition = 2nd | publisher = E & S Livingstone | year = 1962}}</ref> 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:<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.ildis.org/LegumeWeb?version~10.01&genus~Aspalathus&species~ | title = ILDIS LegumeWeb entry for ''Aspalathus'' | author =  | website = International Legume Database & Information Service | publisher = Cardiff School of Computer Science & Informatics | access-date = 3 March 2014 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/splist.pl?1045 | title = GRIN species records of ''Aspalathus'' | author = USDA | author-link = USDA | author2 = ARS | author2-link = Agricultural Research Service | author3 = National Genetic Resources Program | date = | website = Germplasm Resources Information Network—(GRIN) [Online Database] | publisher = National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland | access-date = 3 March 2014 }}</ref> {{div col|colwidth=18em}} * ''Aspalathus abietina'' Thunb. * ''Aspalathus acanthes'' Eckl. & Zeyh. * ''Aspalathus acanthiloba'' R. Dahlgren * ''Aspalathus acanthoclada'' R. Dahlgren * ''Aspalathus acanthophylla'' Eckl. & Zeyh. * ''Aspalathus acicularis'' E. Mey. ** subsp. ''acicularis'' E. Mey. ** subsp. ''planifolia'' R. Dahlgren * ''Aspalathus acidota'' R. Dahlgren * ''Aspalathus acifera'' R. Dahlgren * ''Aspalathus aciloba'' R. Dahlgren * ''Aspalathus aciphylla'' Harv. * ''Aspalathus aculeata'' Thunb. * ''Aspalathus acuminata'' Lam. ** subsp. ''acuminata'' Lam. ** subsp. ''pungens'' (Thunb.) R. Dahlgren * ''Aspalathus acutiflora'' R. Dahlgren     * ''Aspalathus albens'' L. * ''Aspalathus alopecurus'' Benth. * ''Aspalathus alpestris'' (Benth.) R. Dahlgren  * ''Aspalathus altissima'' R. Dahlgren * ''Aspalathus angustifolia'' (Lam.) R. Dahlgren ** subsp. ''angustifolia'' (Lam.) R. Dahlgren ** subsp. ''robusta'' (E. Phillips) R. Dahlgren   * ''Aspalathus araneosa'' L.  * ''Aspalathus arenaria'' R. Dahlgren * ''Aspalathus argentea'' L.  * ''Aspalathus argyrella'' MacOwan * ''Aspalathus argyrophanes'' R. Dahlgren * ''Aspalathus arida'' E. Mey. * ''Aspalathus aristata'' Compton * ''Aspalathus aristifolia'' R. Dahlgren   * ''Aspalathus aspalathoides'' (L.) R. Dahlgren * ''Aspalathus asparagoides'' L. f. ** subsp. ''asparagoides'' L. f. ** subsp. ''rubrofusca'' (Eckl. & Zeyh.) R. Dahlgren * ''Aspalathus astroites'' L. * ''Aspalathus attenuata'' R. Dahlgren * ''Aspalathus aurantiaca'' R. Dahlgren * ''Aspalathus barbata'' (Lam.) R. Dahlgren * ''Aspalathus barbigera'' R. Dahlgren * ''Aspalathus batodes'' Eckl. & Zeyh.   * ''Aspalathus bidouwensis'' R. Dahlgren * ''Aspalathus biflora'' E. Mey. * ''Aspalathus bodkinii'' Bolus * ''Aspalathus borbonifolia'' R. Dahlgren * ''Aspalathus bowieana'' (Benth.) R. Dahlgren * ''Aspalathus bracteata'' Thunb.  * ''Aspalathus burchelliana'' Benth.  * ''Aspalathus caespitosa'' R. Dahlgren * ''Aspalathus calcarata'' Harv. * ''Aspalathus calcarea'' R. Dahlgren * ''Aspalathus callosa'' L. * ''Aspalathus campestris'' R. Dahlgren  * ''Aspalathus candicans'' W.T. Aiton * ''Aspalathus candidula'' R. Dahlgren  * ''Aspalathus capensis'' (Walp.) R. Dahlgren  * ''Aspalathus capitata'' L.   * ''Aspalathus carnosa'' Bergius * ''Aspalathus cephalotes'' Thunb. ** subsp. ''cephalotes'' Thunb. ** subsp. ''obscuriflora'' R. Dahlgren ** subsp. ''violacea'' R. Dahlgren * ''Aspalathus cerrantha'' Eckl. & Zeyh.   * ''Aspalathus chenopoda'' L. * ''Aspalathus chortophila'' Eckl. & Zeyh. * ''Aspalathus chrysantha'' R. Dahlgren * ''Aspalathus ciliaris'' L.  * ''Aspalathus cinerascens'' E. Mey. * ''Aspalathus citrina'' R. Dahlgren * ''Aspalathus cliffortiifolia'' R. Dahlgren * ''Aspalathus cliffortioides'' Bolus<ref>Some sources treat ''Aspalathus cliffortioides'' as a synonym of ''Aspalathus spicata''.</ref> * ''Aspalathus collina'' Eckl. & Zeyh. * ''Aspalathus commutata'' (Vogel) R. Dahlgren  * ''Aspalathus compacta'' R. Dahlgren * ''Aspalathus complicata'' (Benth.) R. Dahlgren * ''Aspalathus comptonii'' R. Dahlgren * ''Aspalathus concava'' Bolus * ''Aspalathus concavifolia'' (Eckl. & Zeyh.) R. Dahlgren * ''Aspalathus condensata'' R. Dahlgren  * ''Aspalathus confusa'' R. Dahlgren   * ''Aspalathus cordata'' (L.) R. Dahlgren * ''Aspalathus cordicarpa'' (L.) R. Dahlgren * ''Aspalathus corniculata'' R. Dahlgren  * ''Aspalathus corrudifolia'' Bergius  * ''Aspalathus costulata'' Benth. * ''Aspalathus crassisepala'' R. Dahlgren * ''Aspalathus crenata'' (L.) R. Dahlgren * ''Aspalathus cuspidata'' R. Dahlgren * ''Aspalathus cymbiformis'' DC. * ''Aspalathus cytisoides'' Lam. * ''Aspalathus dasyantha'' Eckl. & Zeyh. * ''Aspalathus decora'' R. Dahlgren * ''Aspalathus densifolia'' Benth. * ''Aspalathus desertorum'' Bolus * ''Aspalathus dianthophora'' E. Phillips * ''Aspalathus diffusa'' Eckl. & Zeyh. * ''Aspalathus digitifolia'' R. Dahlgren * ''Aspalathus divaricata'' Thunb. ** subsp. ''divaricata'' Thunb. ** subsp. ''gracilior'' R. Dahlgren * ''Aspalathus dunsdoniana'' R. Dahlgren  * ''Aspalathus elliptica'' (E. Phillips) R. Dahlgren  * ''Aspalathus ericifolia'' L. ** subsp. ''ericifolia'' L. ** subsp. ''minuta'' R. Dahlgren ** subsp. ''pusilla'' R. Dahlgren  * ''Aspalathus erythrodes'' Eckl. & Zeyh. * ''Aspalathus esterhuyseniae'' R. Dahlgren * ''Aspalathus excelsa'' R. Dahlgren    * ''Aspalathus fasciculata'' (Thunb.) R. Dahlgren * ''Aspalathus ferox'' Harv.  * ''Aspalathus filicaulis'' Eckl. & Zeyh. * ''Aspalathus flexuosa'' Thunb. * ''Aspalathus florifera'' R. Dahlgren * ''Aspalathus florulenta'' R. Dahlgren * ''Aspalathus forbesii'' Harv.  * ''Aspalathus fourcadei'' L. Bolus * ''Aspalathus frankenioides'' DC. * ''Aspalathus fusca'' Thunb. * ''Aspalathus galeata'' E. Mey.    * ''Aspalathus gerrardii'' Bolus * ''Aspalathus glabrata'' R. Dahlgren * ''Aspalathus glabrescens'' R. Dahlgren  * ''Aspalathus globosa'' Andrews * ''Aspalathus globulosa'' E. Mey. * ''Aspalathus glossoides'' R. Dahlgren  * ''Aspalathus grandiflora'' Benth. * ''Aspalathus granulata'' R. Dahlgren * ''Aspalathus grobleri'' R. Dahlgren * ''Aspalathus heterophylla'' L. f. * ''Aspalathus hirta'' E. Mey. ** subsp. ''hirta'' E. Mey. ** subsp. ''stellaris'' R. Dahlgren * ''Aspalathus hispida'' Thunb. ** subsp. ''albiflora'' (Eckl. & Zeyh.) R. Dahlgren ** subsp. ''hispida'' Thunb. * ''Aspalathus humilis'' Bolus * ''Aspalathus hypnoides'' R. Dahlgren * ''Aspalathus hystrix'' L. f. * ''Aspalathus incana'' R. Dahlgren * ''Aspalathus incompta'' Thunb. * ''Aspalathus incurva'' Thunb. * ''Aspalathus incurvifolia'' Walp.   * ''Aspalathus inops'' Eckl. & Zeyh. * ''Aspalathus intermedia'' Eckl. & Zeyh. * ''Aspalathus intervallaris'' Bolus * ''Aspalathus intricata'' Compton   * ''Aspalathus joubertiana'' Eckl. & Zeyh.  * ''Aspalathus juniperina'' Thunb.  * ''Aspalathus karrooensis'' R. Dahlgren * ''Aspalathus kougaensis'' (Garab. ex R. Dahlgren) R. Dahlgren  * ''Aspalathus lactea'' Thunb. ** subsp. ''breviloba'' R. Dahlgren ** subsp. ''lactea'' Thunb. * ''Aspalathus laeta'' Bolus * ''Aspalathus lamarckiana'' R. Dahlgren * ''Aspalathus lanata'' E. Mey. * ''Aspalathus lanceicarpa'' R. Dahlgren * ''Aspalathus lanceifolia'' R. Dahlgren  * ''Aspalathus lanifera'' R. Dahlgren * ''Aspalathus laricifolia'' Bergius ** subsp. ''canescens'' (L.) R. Dahlgren ** subsp. ''laricifolia'' Bergius * ''Aspalathus latifolia'' Bolus * ''Aspalathus leiantha'' (E. Phillips) R. Dahlgren  * ''Aspalathus lenticula'' Bolus   * ''Aspalathus leptoptera'' Bolus   * ''Aspalathus leucophylla'' R. Dahlgren  * ''Aspalathus linearis'' (Burm. f.) R. Dahlgren * ''Aspalathus linguiloba'' R. Dahlgren  * ''Aspalathus longifolia'' Benth. * ''Aspalathus longipes'' Harv. * ''Aspalathus lotiflora'' R. Dahlgren  * ''Aspalathus macrantha'' Harv. * ''Aspalathus macrocarpa'' Eckl. & Zeyh. * ''Aspalathus marginalis'' Eckl. & Zeyh. * ''Aspalathus marginata'' Harv.    * ''Aspalathus microphylla'' DC.  * ''Aspalathus millefolia'' R. Dahlgren * ''Aspalathus monosperma'' (DC.) R. Dahlgren  * ''Aspalathus mundiana'' Eckl. & Zeyh.   * ''Aspalathus muraltioides'' Eckl. & Zeyh. * ''Aspalathus myrtillifolia'' Benth. * ''Aspalathus neglecta'' T. M. Salter<ref>Some sources treat ''Aspalathus neglecta'' as a synonym of ''Aspalathus spicata''.</ref>  * ''Aspalathus nigra'' L.  * ''Aspalathus nivea'' Thunb. * ''Aspalathus nudiflora'' Harv. * ''Aspalathus obliqua'' R. Dahlgren * ''Aspalathus oblongifolia'' R. Dahlgren  * ''Aspalathus obtusifolia'' R. Dahlgren * ''Aspalathus odontoloba'' R. Dahlgren * ''Aspalathus oliveri'' R. Dahlgren * ''Aspalathus opaca'' Eckl. & Zeyh. ** subsp. ''opaca'' Eckl. & Zeyh. ** subsp. ''pappeana'' (Harv.) R. Dahlgren ** subsp. ''rostriloba'' R. Dahlgren * ''Aspalathus orbiculata'' Benth.  * ''Aspalathus pachyloba'' Benth. ** subsp. ''macroclada'' R. Dahlgren ** subsp. ''pachyloba'' Benth. ** subsp. ''rugulicarpa'' R. Dahlgren ** subsp. ''villicaulis'' R. Dahlgren * ''Aspalathus pallescens'' Eckl. & Zeyh. * ''Aspalathus pallidiflora'' R. Dahlgren  * ''Aspalathus parviflora'' Bergius * ''Aspalathus patens'' R. Dahlgren * ''Aspalathus pedicellata'' Harv. * ''Aspalathus pedunculata'' Houtt.  * ''Aspalathus pendula'' R. Dahlgren  * ''Aspalathus perfoliata'' (Lam.) R. Dahlgren * ''Aspalathus perforata'' (Thunb.) R. Dahlgren   * ''Aspalathus pigmentosa'' R. Dahlgren * ''Aspalathus pilantha'' R. Dahlgren   * ''Aspalathus pinea'' Thunb. * ''Aspalathus pinguis'' Thunb.  * ''Aspalathus polycephala'' E. Mey. * ''Aspalathus potbergensis'' R. Dahlgren * ''Aspalathus proboscidea'' R. Dahlgren  * ''Aspalathus prostrata'' Eckl. & Zeyh. * ''Aspalathus psoraleoides'' (C. Presl) Benth.  * ''Aspalathus pulicifolia'' R. Dahlgren * ''Aspalathus pumila'' R. Dahlgren   * ''Aspalathus pycnantha'' R. Dahlgren * ''Aspalathus quadrata'' L. Bolus * ''Aspalathus quinquefolia'' L. ** subsp. ''compacta'' R. Dahlgren ** subsp. ''quinquefolia'' L. ** subsp. ''virgata'' (Thunb.) R. Dahlgren * ''Aspalathus radiata'' R. Dahlgren * ''Aspalathus ramosissima'' R. Dahlgren * ''Aspalathus ramulosa'' E. Mey. * ''Aspalathus rectistyla'' R. Dahlgren * ''Aspalathus recurva'' Benth. * ''Aspalathus recurvispina'' R. Dahlgren  * ''Aspalathus repens'' R. Dahlgren * ''Aspalathus retroflexa'' L. ** subsp. ''bicolor'' (Eckl. & Zeyh.) R. Dahlgren ** subsp. ''retroflexa'' L.   * ''Aspalathus rigidifolia'' R. Dahlgren  * ''Aspalathus rosea'' R. Dahlgren * ''Aspalathus rostrata'' Benth. * ''Aspalathus rostripetala'' R. Dahlgren * ''Aspalathus rubens'' Thunb.  * ''Aspalathus rubiginosa'' R. Dahlgren   * ''Aspalathus rugosa'' Thunb. * ''Aspalathus rupestris'' R. Dahlgren * ''Aspalathus rycroftii'' R. Dahlgren * ''Aspalathus salicifolia'' R. Dahlgren * ''Aspalathus salteri'' L. Bolus * ''Aspalathus sanguinea'' Thunb.  * ''Aspalathus sceptrum-aureum'' R. Dahlgren  * ''Aspalathus secunda'' E. Mey. * ''Aspalathus securifolia'' Eckl. & Zeyh. * ''Aspalathus sericea'' Bergius * ''Aspalathus serpens'' R. Dahlgren * ''Aspalathus setacea'' Eckl. & Zeyh.  * ''Aspalathus simii'' Bolus  * ''Aspalathus smithii'' R. Dahlgren  * ''Aspalathus spectabilis'' R. Dahlgren  * ''Aspalathus spicata'' Thunb. * ''Aspalathus spiculata'' R. Dahlgren * ''Aspalathus spinescens'' Thunb. ** subsp. ''lepida'' (E. Mey.) R. Dahlgren ** subsp. ''spinescens'' Thunb. * ''Aspalathus spinosa'' L. ** subsp. ''flavispina'' (C. Presl ex Benth.) R. Dahlgren ** subsp. ''glauca'' (Eckl. & Zeyh.) R. Dahlgren ** subsp. ''spinosa'' L. * ''Aspalathus spinosissima'' R. Dahlgren    * ''Aspalathus stenophylla'' Eckl. & Zeyh. * ''Aspalathus steudeliana'' Brongn. * ''Aspalathus stokoei'' L. Bolus * ''Aspalathus suaveolens'' Eckl. & Zeyh. * ''Aspalathus submissa'' R. Dahlgren * ''Aspalathus subtingens'' Eckl. & Zeyh. * ''Aspalathus subulata'' Thunb.  * ''Aspalathus sulphurea'' R. Dahlgren * ''Aspalathus taylorii'' R. Dahlgren  * ''Aspalathus tenuissima'' R. Dahlgren * ''Aspalathus teres'' Eckl. & Zeyh. ** subsp. ''teres'' Eckl. & Zeyh. ** subsp. ''thodei'' R. Dahlgren * ''Aspalathus ternata'' (Thunb.) Druce  * ''Aspalathus 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. Dahlgren * ''Aspalathus varians'' Eckl. & Zeyh. * ''Aspalathus variegata'' Eckl. & Zeyh. * ''Aspalathus venosa'' E. Mey. * ''Aspalathus verbasciformis'' R. Dahlgren * ''Aspalathus vermiculata'' Lam.  * ''Aspalathus villosa'' Thunb.  * ''Aspalathus vulnerans'' Thunb. * ''Aspalathus vulpina'' R. Dahlgren  * ''Aspalathus wittebergensis'' Compton & P.E. Barnes * ''Aspalathus wurmbeana'' E. Mey. * ''Aspalathus zeyheri'' (Harv.) R. Dahlgren {{div col end}}

==References== {{Reflist|2}}

*{{Wikispecies-inline}} *{{Commons category-inline|Aspalathus}}

Category:Aspalathus Category:Fabaceae genera Category:Flora of South Africa Category:Flora of Lesotho Category:Botanical taxa named by Carl Linnaeus