Cadaba Forssk.
Genus composed of 30 species in palaeosubtropical areas, often arid or desert, especially in Africa. Small trees, shrubs and subshrubs, with petiolate, simple leaves (sometimes 3-foliolate), covered with scales or ashen hairs. Flowers zygomorphic in terminal or axillary racemes, solitary or fasciculate. Sepals 4, in 2 series, free; petals 4 or absent, unguiculate. Fruit subcylindrical, coriaceous, late dehiscent or indehiscent; internal tissues surrounding the seeds often orange; subglobose seeds. In North Africa there are 3 species. C. farinosa is a small tropical shrub that reaches Mauritania towards the N. In NE Africa (Egypt) C. glandulosa and C. rotundifolia are also found.
Key to species
1 Climbing plant, lianoid, with farinose narrow leaves (less than 1.2 cm). Flowers with petals and nectariferous petaloid disc Cadaba farinosa
1 Shrubs. Flowers without petals 2
2 Leaves glabrous, long and wide, 2.5-4.5 × 2.2-5 cm Cadaba rotundifolia
2 Leaves glandular-pubescent, shorter, 1.2-2.2 × 0.9-2 cm Cadaba glandulosa
Updated by: H. Sáinz.