Zornia capensis
Common name: Caterpillar bean, Zulu name: umkhondo

This small perennial creeper is often seen straggling across rocks in the grassland, the wiry stems lying flat on the ground.  Leaves have 3 to 4 narrow leaflets a couple of centimetres long. Zornia is a member of the pea family – the leaves and flowers are very characteristic of this family. The yellow flowers are tiny, but easily spotted as bright dots amongst the grass. If viewed up close, the flowers are really pretty – the large lower petal has delicate red lines which may act to guide bees to the pollen.  The pod is flat and breaks into segments each containing one seed. This plant flowers for much of the year and is found all over southern Africa.

In traditional medicine, it is used as a charm, tied around the ankle of a pregnant woman, to protect unborn babies from a disease known as umkhondo, which is believed to be caused by crossing the track of an ill-omened animal.

Click on any of the links below to see another Dargle wildflower