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Useful Tropical Plants

Indigofera linifolia

(L.f.) Retz.

Fabaceae

+ Synonyms

Hedysarum linifolium L.f.

Indigofera albicans Span

Indigofera polygonoides Wendl.

Indigofera roxburghii Tausch

Sphaeridiophorum abyssinicum Jaub. & Spach

Sphaeridiophorum linifolium (L.f.) Desv.

Common Name:

No Image.

General Information

Indigofera linifolia is an erect to prostrate, sometimes annual but more commonly perennial plant producing many branched stems from the base; it can grow 15 - 100cm tall. The stems can become more or less woody, especially near the base, and persist[
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.
,
328
Title
African Flowering Plants Database
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.ville-ge.ch/musinfo/bd/cjb/africa/recherche.php
Publisher
Conservatoire et Jardin Botaniques.
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Contains information on over 150,000 plant names (including synonyms) giving a description and habitat, plus a distribution map.
,
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
 
].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine. It is considered a famine food, harvested from the wild for local use in times of need.
Indigofera linifolia has a large geographical distribution and is not considered to be specifically threatened or in decline. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[
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

The plant is said to be highly poisonous[
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
 
].

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.
,
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
 

Range

Northeastern tropical Africa - Sudan, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Arabian Peninsula, Afghanistan, s.China, Indian subcontinent, tropical Asia to Australia

Habitat

Dry grassland, bushland; at elevations up to 1,500 metres[
328
Title
African Flowering Plants Database
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.ville-ge.ch/musinfo/bd/cjb/africa/recherche.php
Publisher
Conservatoire et Jardin Botaniques.
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Contains information on over 150,000 plant names (including synonyms) giving a description and habitat, plus a distribution map.
]. Grasslands, savannah, cultivated grounds, sandy roadsides, beaches, open grassy deciduous forest[
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
 
].

Properties

Weed PotentialYes
Conservation StatusLeast Concern
Edibility Rating *
Medicinal Rating *  *
HabitAnnual/Perennial
Height0.75 m
PollinatorsInsects
Cultivation StatusWild

Cultivation Details


Indigofera species generally grow best in a sunny position, preferring a well-drained but moist soil[
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.
]. Many of the species will also succeed in drier conditions and in poor soils.
The plant is considered to be an agricultural weed[
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.
].
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

Seed[
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.
]. In times of famine the seeds are ground into a powder and eaten as a bread, either on its own or in combinations with a cereal such as millet[
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.
,
372
Title
Flowers of India
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.flowersofindia.net/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A wed site of native Indian plants, plus cultivated and naturalized species. It has good quality photos and terse details on more than 3,000 species and cultivars.
].
The globular seedpod is around 1.5 - 2mm in diameter, containing a single, brown-black, globular seed around 1.5mm in diameter[
372
Title
Flowers of India
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.flowersofindia.net/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A wed site of native Indian plants, plus cultivated and naturalized species. It has good quality photos and terse details on more than 3,000 species and cultivars.
].

Medicinal

The plant (part not specified) is used in the treatment of febrile eruptions[
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.
,
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
 
,
1503
Title
Indian Medicinal Planta
Publication
 
Author
Kirkitar K.R.; Basu B.D. & Indian Civil Service
Publisher
Sudhindra Nath Basu, BahadurGanj; India
Year
1918
ISBN
 
Description
 
].
Combined with Euphorbia thymifolia, the plant is used in the treatment of amenorrhoea[
1503
Title
Indian Medicinal Planta
Publication
 
Author
Kirkitar K.R.; Basu B.D. & Indian Civil Service
Publisher
Sudhindra Nath Basu, BahadurGanj; India
Year
1918
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. 2024-10-06. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Indigofera+linifolia>

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