Plants much branched evergreen shrubs or small trees to 2.5 m tall. Leaflets 2-12 per leaf,elliptic oblong, up to 30(-50) mm long and 15(-25) mm wide;lower surface densely covered with red glands. Flowers: sepals about 10 mm long, oblong, obtuse, glandular; petals about 15 mm long, yellow. Fruits legumes, 4 - 6 cm long, ovoid with an upcurved beak; seeds 2.5 - 4.5 cm long, ovoid.
Thulin noted that individual plants of Cordeauxia edulis may vary considerably in the number and size of the leaflets on its branches.
Cordeauxia edulis grows in Acacia-Commiphora woodlands on sandy soil at 200 - 420 m in southern Somalia and the Ogaden region of Ethiopia. Its cultivation in Somaliland is being encouraged because of the food value of its seeds. Heuzé et al. (2017 state that the main root of Cordeauxia edulis can grow to a depth of 3 m and that it develops lateral roots on the top 10-40 cm and even down to 2.5 m. This robust root system is important to its drought resistance.
Flora of Somalia 1:348 and Feedipedia
The seeds are edible, nourishing, and much appreciated as food where it is native. It is being studied as a potential food crop in arid areas.
It also provides valuable dry season browse and a red dye and is used for fuel. Care should be taken that it is not browsed or cut to the point that it cannot continue growing.
Like most plants in arid and semi-arid climates, Cordeauxia edulis is slow growing. First it has to develop a robust root system. During its first 2-3 years, chemical reactions within the seedling direct most energy to root development leaving relatively little for crown development. Once the root system has been established, more of the plant's energy is directed to crown development. Once the crown is developed, energy conservation becomes less of a concern; there will be plenty to maintain the root system (essential for bring in moisture and nutrients), vegetative growth (to ensure its continued ability to harvest energy), and reproduction (essential for avoiding extinction).
The take home story for humans? The fruits of Cordeauxia edulis are a good source of protein and oils so it is a tree worth planting but be patient, it will a few years before it will be productive.