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Useful Tropical Plants

Phyllodium elegans

(Lour.) Desv.

Fabaceae

+ Synonyms

Desmodium blandum Meeuwen

Desmodium elegans (Lour.) Benth.

Dicerma elegans (Lour.) DC.

Hedysarum elegans Lour.

Meibomia elegans (Lour.) Kuntze

Zornia elegans (Lour.) Pers.

Common Name:

No Image.

General Information

Phyllodium elegans is a perennial plant with slender, branching stems that become more or less woody. It can grow up to 2 metres tall[
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.
The species has a wide ecological and altitudinal range, some populations are known to occur within the protected areas network and no major threats to the species are currently known. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[
338
Title
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.iucnredlist.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

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.

Range

E. Asia - China, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Indonesia (Java)

Habitat

Found on a wide range of soils from calcium-rich clay, red soils to sand, in habitats ranging from rather open old forest, secondary growth, dry grassy fields to cattle ground, and rice fallow; at elevations up to 600 metres, occ to 1,600 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.
].

Properties

Conservation StatusLeast Concern
Medicinal Rating *  *
HabitShrub
Height1.00 m
PollinatorsInsects
Cultivation StatusWild

Cultivation Details



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[
755
Title
Nodulation Plants in GRIN Taxonomy
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.ars-grin.gov/~sbmljw/cgi-bin/taxnodul.pl?language=en
Publisher
United States Department of Agriculture
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An online database listing plants that have either positive or negative reports on root and stem nodulation with nitrogen-fixing bacteria.
].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

A decoction of the roots is used in Thailand to relieve liver dysfunctions as well as in the treatment of some psychotic symptoms, including delirium, fibrillation and weight loss, believed to be caused by black magic. In Cambodia, the roots are employed in folk medicine to cure oedema in newborns[
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.
].

An infusion of the flowers is used to cure respiratory ailments[
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 roots and leaves are used medicinally for reducing fever and as an antiphlogistic and diuretic[
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.
].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed -
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-03-29. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Phyllodium+elegans>

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