Fabaceae FAMILY

Sophora moorcroftiana

Edibility

0/5

Medicinal

2/5

Safety & Hazards

The plant contains cytosine, which resembles nicotine and is similarly toxic[ 238 Title Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Publication Author Bown. D. Publisher Dorling Kindersley, London. Year 1995 ISBN 0-7513-020-31 Description A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant. ].

Botanical Description

Sophora moorcroftiana is a densely-branched, spiny, evergreen shrub with a rounded top; it can grow around 1 metre tall[ 266 Title Flora of China Publication Author Website http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/ Publisher Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis. Year 1994 ISBN Description An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available. ]. The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine and source of materials. It is used in soil stabilization projects on the Tibetan Plateau. Although small, this species is one of the few woody plants growing in much of its semi-arid environment and it is heavily exploited as a source of fuelwood. This is reducing the population of plants in the wild and has been contributing to desertification in this region. The plant is considered to be Endangered on the Tibetan Plateau[ 1608 Title Genetic Diversity, Population Structure, and Conservation of Sophora moorcroftiana (Fabaceae), a Shrub Endemic to th Publication Plant Biology 8 (2006) 81-92 Author Liu Z.-M. et al. Website http://10.1055/s-2005-872889 Publisher Year 2005 ISBN 1435-8603 Description ].

Habitat & Origin

Origintemperate

Native RangeE. Asia - Himalayan regions of China (Xizang), India, Bhutan, Myanmar

HabitatSemi-arid mountain slopes and terraces; at elevations from 3,500 - 4,200 metres[ 51 Title Flowers of the Himalayas. Publication Author Polunin. O. and Stainton. A. Publisher Oxford Universtiy Press Year 1984 ISBN - Description A very readable and good pocket guide (if you have a very large pocket!) to many of the wild plants in the Himalayas. Gives many examples of plant uses. , 91 Title Alpine Plants of China. Publication Author Zhang Jingwei. Publisher Gordon & Breach. New York. Year 1982 ISBN 0-677-60190-5 Description A lovely book with nice pictures. Gives habitats and some details of plant uses. ]. Forests in valleys; at elevations from 3,000 - 4,500 metres in Tibet[ 266 Title Flora of China Publication Author Website http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/ Publisher Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis. Year 1994 ISBN Description An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available. ].