Common Name:

General Information

Indigofera stachyodes is a shrub growing 1 - 3 metres tall[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

E. Asia - southern China, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Indonesia

Habitat

Sunny places, scrub; at elevations from 700 - 2,400 metres[].

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Habit	Shrub
Height	2.00 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 roots are used as a traditional Chinese herbal medicine for the treatment of rheumatism, cirrhosis, dysentery and wounds[].

A methanol extract of the dried root has been shown to have an effective action as an antioxidant and also in the prevention of diabetes, as well as being a treatment for the development of the disease and its complications[]

Other Uses

The hard wood is of a marbled yellowish-brown colour[]. When large enough, it is utilized locally in India[].

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[].
Cuttings of about 20cm long are planted in situ at a spacing of 60 cm x 60 cm with 5 cuttings per hole. Plants produced from cuttings usually remain very low and cover rarely exceeds 12cm in height. A fair cover can be established in 4 - 6 months and a continuous, even cover in a year from planting[].

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