Indigofera cordifolia
B.Heyne ex Roth
Fabaceae
Common Name:
General Information
Indigofera cordifolia is a herbaceous, annual to perennial plant with prostrate to ascending branches; it can grow 10 - 30cm tall[
372- Title
- Flowers of India
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.flowersofindia.net/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A wed site of native Indian plants, plus cultivated and naturalized species. It has good quality photos and terse details on more than 3,000 species and cultivars.
,
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
-
].
In times of need, the plant is harvested from the wild for its seed which are an emergency source of food[
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
-
]
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
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
-
Range
Africa- Cape Verde, Mauritania to Ethiopia; Arabian Peninsula - Yemen, Oman; Asia - Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Indonesia (Java); northern Australia
Habitat
Beaches, Pandanus-vegetation, grassfields; at elevations from sea level to 150 metres[
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
-
].
Properties
| Edibility Rating |  |
| Habit | Perennial |
| Height | 0.20 m |
| Pollinators | Insects |
| Cultivation Status | Wild |
Cultivation Details
Indigofera species generally grow best in a sunny position, preferring a well-drained but moist soil[
974- Title
- Encyclopedia of Tropical Plants - Identification and Cultivation of over 3,000 Tropical Plants
- Publication
-
- Author
- Ahmed Fayaz
- Publisher
- Firefly Books Ltd.; New Zealand
- Year
- 2011
- ISBN
- 978-1-55407-489
- Description
- A good photograph and terse but detailed information for over 3,000 species of tropical plants. An excellent reference.
]. Many of the species will also succeed in drier conditions and in poor soils.
This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria; these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby.
Edible Uses
Seeds. Ground into powder and eaten in times of food shortage when nothing better is available[
332- Title
- The Useful Plants of West Tropical Africa.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Burkil. H. M.
- Publisher
- Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew.
- Year
- 1985 - 2004
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Brief descriptions and details of the uses of over 4,000 plants. A superb, if terse, resource, it is also available electronically on the Web - see http://www.aluka.org/
,
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
-
].
Medicinal
None known
Other Uses
None known
Propagation
Like many species within the family Fabaceae, once they have been dried for storage the seeds of this species may benefit from scarification before sowing in order to speed up and improve germination. This can usually be done by pouring a small amount of nearly boiling water on the seeds (being careful not to cook them!) and then soaking them for 12 - 24 hours in warm water. By this time they should have imbibed moisture and swollen - if they have not, then carefully make a nick in the seedcoat (being careful not to damage the embryo) and soak for a further 12 hours before sowing[
K- Title
- Plants for a Future
- Author
- Ken Fern
- Description
- Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
].
If you have any useful information about this plant, please leave a comment. Comments have to be approved before they are shown here.
Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
