Common Name:

General Information

Indigofera leptoclada is a herbaceous perennial plant producing a clusster of erect stems 15 - 35cm tall from a woody rootstock[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

West tropical Africa - Senegal to western Nigeria

Habitat

Sometimes abundant, growing on lateritic ground, wooded savannah; sandy soils[].

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	0.25 m
Pollinators	Insects
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Indigoera species generally grow best in a sunny position, preferring a well-drained but moist soil[]. Many of the species will also succeed in drier conditions and in poor soils.
We have seen no specific information for this species, but most members of the genus have 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

None known

Medicinal

The plant is cooked with millet flour to form a poultice for treating breast abscesses[].

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[].

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