Fabaceae FAMILY

Indigofera hirsuta

Edibility

0/5

Medicinal

2/5

Safety & Hazards

The plant is possibly poisonous and can severely irritate the hooves of animals[ 1496 Title A Revision of the Genus Indigofera (Leguminosae-Papilionoideae) in Southeast Asia Publication Blumea 30 (1984) 89-151 Author Kort I. de, Thijsse G. Publisher Year 1984 ISBN Description ].

Botanical Description

Indigofera hirsuta is an erect or spreading herbaceous legume growing 60 - 230cm tall, with spreading or ascending branches[ 418 Title Ecocrop Publication Author Website http://ecocrop.fao.org/ecocrop/srv/en/home Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Basic information on a wide range of useful plants, plus details of environmental needs where available. ]. More or less annual in habit, the stems can become somewhat woody and persist for more than a year[ 310 Title Plant Resources of Southeast Asia Publication Author Website http://proseanet.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia. ]. The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine and a dye (a minor source of indigo). It is often grown as a ground cover and green manure[ 317 Title Mansfeld's Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Plants Publication Author Website http://mansfeld.ipk-gatersleben.de/pls/htmldb_pgrc/f?p=185:3:4292127278597336 Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Terse details of a huge range of useful plants. ].

Habitat & Origin

Origintropical

Native RangeTropical Africa - Senegal to Sudan, south to Angola, Mozambique and Madagascar; through tropical Asia to northern Australia.

HabitatA weed in cultivated and waste areas, in grassland, savannah, dry and deciduous forest, on river banks and beaches, at elevations from sea level to 1,500 metres[ 310 Title Plant Resources of Southeast Asia Publication Author Website http://proseanet.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia. ].