Indigofera cassioides
Rottler ex DC.
Fabaceae
Indigofera arborea Roxb.
Indigofera byansghatensis S.N.Biswas
Indigofera elliptica Roxb.
Indigofera gibsonii Graham
Indigofera leptostachya DC.
Indigofera pulchella Roxb.
Indigofera violacea Roxb.
Common Name:
General Information
Indigofera cassioides is a deciduous shrub with erect branches; it can grow up to 3 metres tall, but is often smaller[
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.
]. The plant produces suckers from its rootstock.
The plant is sometimes gathered from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and fuel.
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
158- Title
- Forest Flora of Chakrata, Dehra Dun and Saharanpur.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Gupta. B. L.
- Publisher
- Forest Research Institute Press
- Year
- 1945
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- A good flora for the middle Himalayan forests, sparsly illustrated. Not really for the casual reader.
,
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- 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.
,
287- Title
- Flora of Pakistan
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.efloras.org
- Publisher
-
- Year
-
- ISBN
-
- Description
- As of 2006, there is not much information on habitats available, but it is being developed and promises to be an excellent resource.
Range
E. Asia - southern China (Guangxi, Yunnan), Pakistan, throughout India, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam
Habitat
Sal forests and hills to 2,700 metres[
158- Title
- Forest Flora of Chakrata, Dehra Dun and Saharanpur.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Gupta. B. L.
- Publisher
- Forest Research Institute Press
- Year
- 1945
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- A good flora for the middle Himalayan forests, sparsly illustrated. Not really for the casual reader.
]. Slopes, grasslands, sparse woods and scrub at elevations of 300 - 2,000 metres in W Guangxi 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 |  |
| Other Uses Rating |  |
| Habit | Deciduous Shrub |
| Height | 3.00 m |
| Pollinators | Insects |
| Cultivation Status | Wild |
Cultivation Details
Requires a light or medium well-drained soil and a sunny position[
11- Title
- Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Bean. W.
- Publisher
- Murray
- Year
- 1981
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.
,
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- 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.
]. Succeeds on chalk[
11- Title
- Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Bean. W.
- Publisher
- Murray
- Year
- 1981
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.
].
Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- 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.
].
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
The flowers are occasionally eaten as a vegetable[
177- Title
- Plants for Human Consumption.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Kunkel. G.
- Publisher
- Koeltz Scientific Books
- Year
- 1984
- ISBN
- 3874292169
- Description
- An excellent book for the dedicated. A comprehensive listing of Latin names with a brief list of edible parts.
,
183- Title
- Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Facciola. S.
- Publisher
- Kampong Publications
- Year
- 1990
- ISBN
- 0-9628087-0-9
- Description
- Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.
,
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
A decoction of the roots is used in the treatment of coughs[
240- Title
- Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement).
- Publication
-
- Author
- Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C.
- Publisher
- Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi.
- Year
- 1986
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- Very terse details of medicinal uses of plants with a wide range of references and details of research into the plants chemistry. Not for the casual reader.
].
The root is dried, ground into a powder and applied externally in the treatment of pains in the chest[
240- Title
- Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement).
- Publication
-
- Author
- Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C.
- Publisher
- Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi.
- Year
- 1986
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- Very terse details of medicinal uses of plants with a wide range of references and details of research into the plants chemistry. Not for the casual reader.
].
Other Uses
The branches are used for fences and fuel[
158- Title
- Forest Flora of Chakrata, Dehra Dun and Saharanpur.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Gupta. B. L.
- Publisher
- Forest Research Institute Press
- Year
- 1945
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- A good flora for the middle Himalayan forests, sparsly illustrated. Not really for the casual reader.
].
The heartwood is black with a white sapwood. The wood is generally hard. Although of small dimensions, the wood is occasionally used in India[
480- Title
- Green Manures and Manuring in the Tropics
- Publication
-
- Author
- Sornay P. De. Translated by Flattely F.W.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- John Bale, Sons and Danielsson Ltd.: London
- Year
- 1916
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent work on the subject, even if it was written almost 100 years ago. It also includes a section of useful Legumes. Can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
Propagation
Pre-soak the seed for 12 hours in warm water and sow in containers in light shade. The germination can be variable. Prick out the seedlings when large enough to handle and plant out when large enough[
78- Title
- Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Sheat. W. G.
- Publisher
- MacMillan and Co
- Year
- 1948
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- A bit dated but a good book on propagation techniques with specific details for a wide range of plants.
].
Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 5 - 8cm with a heel if possible, in individual pots in a frame. Good percentage[
78- Title
- Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Sheat. W. G.
- Publisher
- MacMillan and Co
- Year
- 1948
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- A bit dated but a good book on propagation techniques with specific details for a wide range of plants.
].
Root cuttings 3cm long taken when the plant is dormant. Good percentage[
78- Title
- Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Sheat. W. G.
- Publisher
- MacMillan and Co
- Year
- 1948
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- A bit dated but a good book on propagation techniques with specific details for a wide range of plants.
].
Suckers. Remove them in the dormant season, preferably towards the end of it, and plant out into their permanent positions.
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Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
