Kigelia (aka Sausage Tree)

Description:

Kigelia is a genus of flowering plants in the family Bignoniaceae. The genus consists of only one species, Kigelia africana, which occurs throughout tropical Africa, from Eritrea and Chad south to northern South Africa, and west to Senegal and Namibia. Common in India, with many medicinal uses, the species's distribution is most certainly anthropogenic. The so-called "sausage tree" grows a fruit that is up to 60 cm (2 feet) long, weighs about 7 kg (15 pounds), and looks like a sausage. Also known as the "cucumber tree". (Wikipedia) This is the first time I've actually had a really close look at one of these trees, and the first time I've seen one in flower. The inflorescence is every bit as intriguing as the fruit itself. Very impressive!

Habitat:

This spotting was by the freshwater lake on the University of Queensland Campus, Brisbane.

Notes:

Everything you could ever want to know about this species - http://cms.herbalgram.org/herbalgram/iss...