Common Name:

General Information

Tephrosia vogelii is a soft, woody branching herb or small tree with dense foliage, growing 0.5 - 4 metres tall[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine. It is often cultivated as a green manure crop and hedge plant, whilst the leaves can be used as an insecticide[]. The plant is quite a rich source of insecticidal compounds and was at one time considered for cultivation for this purpose[]. With its variously coloured flowers, it is suitable as an ornamental[].

Known Hazards

The plant contains rotenonoids and has been used traditionally as a fish poison - rotenoids kill or stun the fish making them easy to catch, but the fish remain perfectly edible for mammals. Rotenonoids are classified by the World Health Organization as moderately hazardous. They are mildly toxic to humans and other mammals, but extremely toxic to many insects (hence their use as an insecticide) and aquatic life, including fish. This higher toxicity in fish and insects is because the lipophilic rotenonoid is easily taken up through the gills or trachea, but not as easily through the skin or the gastrointestinal tract. The lowest lethal dose for a child is 143 mg/kg, but human deaths from rotenone poisoning are rare because its irritating action causes vomiting. Deliberate ingestion of rotenone, however, can be fatal.
The compound decomposes when exposed to sunlight and usually has an activity of six days in the environment.

Botanical References

Range

Tropical Africa - Sierra Leone to Sudan, south to Angola, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Habitat

Found in widely varying habitats, including savannah-like vegetation, grassland, forest margins and shrubland, wasteland and fallow fields[].

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Shrub
Height	3.00 m
Growth Rate	Fast
Pollinators	Bees, Self
Self-fertile	Yes
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of tropical regions, where it is found at elevations from sea level up to 2,100 metres[]. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 20 - 28°c, but can tolerate 10 - 32°c[]. The plant can survive temperatures down to about -1°c[]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 1,300 - 1,500mm, but tolerates 870 - 2,700mm[].
Prefers a sunny position, tolerating light shade[]. Grows well on andosols that are not subject to flooding and on well drained loams[]. Tolerant of poor soils, though it grows more slowly and is more prone to diseases[]. Prefers a pH in the range 5 - 6.5, tolerating 4.5 - 7[]. Established plants are drought tolerant[]. Tolerant of strong winds[].
Under favourable conditions, the plant grows quickly and is tolerant of repeated pruning[]. It can reach a height of 2 - 3 metres in just 7 months[].
A short-lived plant, sometimes (as in Java) only living for a little more than one year[, ].
Plants can flower and produce seeds all year round[].
Plants are quite tolerant of fire, usually resprouting readily afterwards due to its deep root system[].
If the plants are weakly branched, they should be lopped to promote branching[].
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

None known

Medicinal

Used as an abortifacient, emetic, bactericide, purgative and cure for skin diseases, schistosomiasis, ringworm and parasitic infections[].

Leaf decoctions are used in the treatment of scabies and yaws; a weak infusion of the leaves is taken as an anthelmintic[].

Root decoctions are used to treat constipation[].

Agroforestry Uses:

The plant grows quite quickly, produces a good bulk and also fixes atmospheric nitrogen[]. It is often cultivated as a green manure, windbreak and temporary shade crop in cocoa, coffee, tea, rubber, coconut and cinchona plantations[].
In acid soils, it grows much better than Leucaena leucocephala, forming root nodules and fixing atmospheric nitrogen where the latter does not[].
Because of its dense growth, it is suitable as a hedge plant[].

Other Uses

The dry, crushed leaves are used as insecticide against lice, fleas and ticks, and also as a molluscicide[]. The plant contains tephrosine, a rotenone-like compound, in its roots and aerial parts - rotenone is an isoflavone that has strong insecticidal, pesticidal and piscicidal activities, but is of relatively low toxicity to humans[, ].
The plant can be used in the manufacture of the insecticide rotenone[].

Propagation

Seed - preferably, fresh seed should be stored for 2 months before planting[]. Pre-soaking the seed for 12 - 24 hours in warm water (45°c) improves germination[]. Without treatment, the germination percentage is 65%, and the seedling survival rate about 60%[].
The seed stores well with no loss in viability over 2 - 3 years in open storage[]. Air-dried seed can be stored in sealed containers for at least 1.5 years[].

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