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Useful Tropical Plants

Flemingia procumbens

Roxb.

Fabaceae

+ Synonyms

Flemingia vestita Benth. ex Baker

Common Name: Soh-Phlong

Flemingia procumbens
Drawing of the flowering and fruiting plant
Photograph by: Wight, R., Spicilegium Neilgherrense, vol. 1: t. 60 (1846) [Rungia]
Creative Commons License

General Information

Flemingia procumbens is a prostrate, perennial plant.
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and a medicine. It is cultivated as a minor food crop in the hills of Assam, India, and has potential for wider use as a cultivated vegetable[
301
Title
Cornucopia II
Publication
 
Author
Facciola. S.
Publisher
Kampong Publications, California.
Year
1998
ISBN
0-9628087-2-5
Description
The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc.
].

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 - southern China (Sichuan, Yunnan), India, Nepal, Laos, Vietnam, Philippines.

Habitat

Mountain slopes in Sichuan and Yunnan[
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.
].

Properties

Edibility Rating *  *  *
Medicinal Rating *  *
HabitPerennial
Height0.00 m
PollinatorsBees, Insects
Cultivation StatusCultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details


Species in this genus generally succeed in sunny and partially shady positions so long as the soil is well-drained[
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.
].
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

Root - raw[
301
Title
Cornucopia II
Publication
 
Author
Facciola. S.
Publisher
Kampong Publications, California.
Year
1998
ISBN
0-9628087-2-5
Description
The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc.
]. The soft, fleshy, tuberous root is sweet and juicy with an agreeable nut-like flavour[
301
Title
Cornucopia II
Publication
 
Author
Facciola. S.
Publisher
Kampong Publications, California.
Year
1998
ISBN
0-9628087-2-5
Description
The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc.
]. It is rich in iron and phosphorous[
301
Title
Cornucopia II
Publication
 
Author
Facciola. S.
Publisher
Kampong Publications, California.
Year
1998
ISBN
0-9628087-2-5
Description
The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc.
]. Contains more than 3 times the protein content of cassava[
301
Title
Cornucopia II
Publication
 
Author
Facciola. S.
Publisher
Kampong Publications, California.
Year
1998
ISBN
0-9628087-2-5
Description
The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc.
]. The root is also used as a source of starch[
301
Title
Cornucopia II
Publication
 
Author
Facciola. S.
Publisher
Kampong Publications, California.
Year
1998
ISBN
0-9628087-2-5
Description
The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc.
].

Medicinal

A decoction of the tuber is used as a vermifuge[
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 outer skin of the tuber is used[
1463
Title
Phytochemical and Pharmacological potential of Flemingia Roxb. Ex W.T.Aiton (Fabaceae)
Publication
International Journal of Phytomedicine 3 (2011) 294-307
Author
Kavita Ghalot; V.K.Lal.; S.Jha
Website
http://www.arjournals.org/index.php/ijpm/index
Publisher
 
Year
2011
ISBN
0975-0185
Description
 
].

Four isoflavones (genistein, formononetin, pseudobaptigenin and daidzein) have been isolated from the outer tissues of the tuber[
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.
].
Tests have shown that a crude extract of the tuber peel has anthelmintic properties against flukes and tapeworms, but is ineffective against nematodes[
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.
].
Genistein (an isoflavone found in the root peel) is known to have a wide spectrum of biological activities - oestrogenic
activity being one of its most remarkable properties. Tests have shown that an ethanol extract of the tubers exhibits good oestrogenic activity and might be useful for alleviating menopausal health concerns[
1465
Title
Estrogenic Potential of Flemingia vestita Benth Tubers in Ovariectomized Rat Model
Publication
Pharmacognosy Journal, Vol 8, Issue 1, Jan-Feb, 2016
Author
Sunita Shailajan et al
Website
http://www.phcogfirst.com/phcogj
Publisher
 
Year
2016
ISBN
 
Description
 
].

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.
].
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-03-28. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Flemingia+procumbens>

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