Tephrosia villosa
(L.) Pers.
Fabaceae
Cracca villosa L.
Galega hirta Buch.-Ham.
Galega incana Roxb.
Tephrosia ehrenbergiana Schweinf.
Tephrosia hirta Buch.-Ham.
Tephrosia incana (Roxb.) Graham ex Wight & Arn.
Common Name:
Plant growing in a crack between rocks
Photograph by: J.M.Garg
Plant growing in a crack between rocks
Photograph by: J.M.Garg
Flowers and immature seedpods
Photograph by: Lalithamba
Developing seedpods
Photograph by: J.M.Garg
GNU Free Documentation License
General Information
Tephrosia villosa is an annual to perennial, bushy herb, growing 30 - 130cm tall[
303- Title
- World Agroforesty Centre
- Publication
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- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.worldagroforestry.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent online database of a huge range of trees giving very good information on each plant - its uses, ecology, identity, propagation, pests etc.
].
The plants is sometimes cultivated as a green manure in crop plantations[
].
Tephrosia villosa is a widespread species found in southern and eastern Africa, southern Asia and the Arabian Peninsula. The taxon is known to occur within the protected areas network and seeds have been collected and stored by the Millennium Seed Bank Project. It is not considered to be specifically threatened or in decline at present. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2012)[
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
Range
Possibly originally native to Africa and India, now naturalised in tropical and subtropical Asia.
Habitat
Open fields and floodplains, often on sandy soils[
303- Title
- World Agroforesty Centre
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.worldagroforestry.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent online database of a huge range of trees giving very good information on each plant - its uses, ecology, identity, propagation, pests etc.
]. Acacia-Commiphora bushland and woodland, shrubland, disturbed ground and on shallow sandy soils; at elevations up to 1,500 metres[
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.
].
Properties
| Conservation Status | Least Concern |
| Medicinal Rating |  |
| Other Uses Rating |  |
| Habit | Annual/Perennial |
| Height | 1.00 m |
| Cultivation Status | Cultivated |
Cultivation Details
A plant of the lowland tropics and subtropics, where it is found at elevations below 150 metres[
303- Title
- World Agroforesty Centre
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.worldagroforestry.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent online database of a huge range of trees giving very good information on each plant - its uses, ecology, identity, propagation, pests etc.
]. It is tolerant of a long dry season and of heavy rain[
303- Title
- World Agroforesty Centre
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.worldagroforestry.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent online database of a huge range of trees giving very good information on each plant - its uses, ecology, identity, propagation, pests etc.
].
Prefers a sandy soil[
303- Title
- World Agroforesty Centre
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.worldagroforestry.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent online database of a huge range of trees giving very good information on each plant - its uses, ecology, identity, propagation, pests etc.
]. Succeeds in poor rocky soils[
K- Title
- Plants for a Future
- Author
- Ken Fern
- Description
- Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
].
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[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
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- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
Edible Uses
None known
Medicinal
The leaf juice is used to treat dropsy and diabetes[
303- Title
- World Agroforesty Centre
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.worldagroforestry.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent online database of a huge range of trees giving very good information on each plant - its uses, ecology, identity, propagation, pests etc.
].
The roots and leaves contain rotenoids[
310- Title
- Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
- Publication
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- Author
-
- Website
- http://proseanet.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].
Agroforestry Uses:
The plant is grown as a green manure in coffee and rubber plantations, and as a cover crop in tea plantations[
303- Title
- World Agroforesty Centre
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.worldagroforestry.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent online database of a huge range of trees giving very good information on each plant - its uses, ecology, identity, propagation, pests etc.
,
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.
].
Other Uses
None known
Propagation
Seed -
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Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
