Bolusanthus

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Bolusanthus speciosus, commonly called the tree wisteria, is a flowering legume and the only species in the genus Bolusanthus. It was first described in 1889 as Lonchocarpus speciosus and later placed in its own genus in 1906.

Description
- A small deciduous tree that grows up to about 7 meters tall.
- It has black, rough, fissured bark and drooping branches.
- It flowers before the leaves appear, between September and October, with lilac-blue blooms.
- After flowering, it forms a seed capsule with grey pods containing 3–8 smooth seeds that are yellow or brown.

Wood and uses
- The wood is very hard, heavy, and yellow.
- It is used for axe-handles, wagon spokes, and fencing poles.
- The tree is also grown in gardens for its attractive flowers.

Distribution and habitat
- Native to southern Africa: KwaZulu-Natal and the Northern Provinces of South Africa, Eswatini, Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
- It lives in low to medium elevations in woodland or wooded grasslands.

Origin of the name
- The genus name honors Harry Bolus (1834–1911), a South African botanist.