Common Name:

General Information

Cajanus scarabaeoides is an annual to perennial climbing plant with twining stems up to 2 metres long growing from a woody rootstock. The slender stems scramble over the ground, twinging into the surrounding vegetation for support. The plant can form thick mats of growth over the ground[, , , ].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a for and a medicine. It is used as a green manure and cover crop in plantations.
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine.The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

E. Asia - southern China, Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, through southeast Asia to New Guinea and Australia

Habitat

Fields, roadsides, grassy slopes, seasides; at elevations from 100 - 1,500 metres[]. Open grassland, dry scrub and deciduous monsoon forests. It also occurs on ridges between cultivated fields and along roadsides[].

Properties

Conservation Status	Least Concern
Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Perennial Climber
Height	2.00 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Requires a sunny position. The var scarabaeoides is found in the wild on heavy soils, whilst var pedunculata is found on sandy, lateritic soils[]. Established plants are drought tolerant[].
It is also introduced in coastal west Africa and is considered a weed of open grasslands on Pacific islands[].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

Young seedpods - cooked and eaten as a vegetable[].

Seeds - raw or cooked. The seeds are usually eaten boiled or roasted[].

Medicinal

A traditional Chinese medicine, it is used for improving digestion and diuresis[]. (part not specified)

The whole plant is used in the treatment of swelling and pain in the leg during pregnancy; night fevers; renal stones; eye diseases; dropsy; anaemia; hemiplegia; burns and wound;, small-pox; syphilis; gonorrhoea; spermatorrhoea; gravel; cholera; dysentery; snake-bite and rinderpest[]. A decoction of the whole plant, combined with honey, is taken orally as tonic after a woman has given birth[]. Combined with black pepper (Piper nigrrum), a decoction of the plant is used in the treatment of diarrhoea and dysentery[].
The juice of the plant is used as a treatment for diarrhoea and dysentery[].

A paste of the leaves is administered orally to cure swellings in the body[].
The fresh leaf paste is applied topically to get relief from the pain of rheumatism. A paste of the fresh stem and leaves is applied to sores and to areas affected by venereal diseases[].

The powdered root is taken orally in order to improve the digestion, treat stomachache and reduce abdominal gas.
An extract of the crushed roots is used as ear drops in the treatment of deafness[].

The crushed seeds are used as a parasiticide to rid the body of tapeworm[].

Agroforestry Uses:

The plant is used to enrich pastures and as a green manure[]. It is grown as a cover plant in teak plantations[].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed -

Add a Comment:

If you have any useful information about this plant, please leave a comment. Comments have to be approved before they are shown here.

Name:

Email(Private):

Message:

Captcha: what is half of 100?