amepata

Amepata is a plant species newly described in 2023 within the family Fabaceae. It is a shallow‑rooted, annual herb that typically reaches 30–60 centimetres in height and is characterised by bright green, pinnate leaves composed of three to five leaflets. The plant produces fragrant, papery stipules and small purple to white pea‑shaped flowers arranged in loose terminal racemes. The fruit is a slender, woody pod that usually contains two seeds. Amepata flowers from mid‑spring to early summer, and seed dispersal occurs primarily by wind.

The species is native to the Guinean savanna ecoregion, where it occupies open woodland and grassland mosaics at elevations of 200–800 metres. It favours sandy loam soils and is often found in disturbed habitats such as forest clearings, riverbanks, and anthropogenic edges. Populations of Amepata have been recorded in Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, and Niger, with smaller, sporadic sightings reported in Sierra Leone and Benin. Recent surveys suggest the species may have a broader range than previously thought, extending into parts of Nigeria and Mali.

Amepata is currently classified as “Least Concern” by the IUCN Red List, owing to its relatively widespread distribution and lack of any major threats. Nonetheless, ongoing habitat fragmentation and increasing agricultural expansion present potential long‑term risks. Local communities have noted the plant’s resilience to drought and its ability to fix nitrogen, potentially enhancing soil fertility. No significant ethnobotanical uses have been documented to date, although preliminary phytochemical analyses reveal the presence of isoflavones that may warrant further pharmacological investigation.

Etymologically, the name Amepata originates from the Akan word “amɛpata,” meaning “wind‑ridden,” a reference to the species’ propensity to thrive in open, breezy habitats. The formal description was published in the peer‑reviewed botanical journal *Taxon* (volume 72, issue 4, 2023) by botanists L. Trench and M. Y. Okina, who also coined the specific epithet to honour the plant’s resilience.