Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Synonyms —
Robinia cyanescens
Schum. & Thonn.,
Philenoptera cyanescens
(Schum. &
Thonn.) Roberty.
Family —
Leguminosae
Common Names —
Indigo vine, West African wild indigo
African Names —
Ashanti: dwira; Bafo (and Blong): mutely; Balando: mubakote; Basa: wee-
chu; Bini: ebelu; Ewe: avantime, adzudzu; Fulani: talakiri; Hausa: talaki; Igbo: anunu; Tiv: suru;
Twi (and Ga): akase; Yoruba: elu
Description —
This is a shrub or small tree, sometimes woody climber, 5-7 m high and about
50 cm in girth. The stem is brown or yellow, and the branchlets are silky when young. The leaves are
pinnate, occur in 4-5 pairs, are ovate or elliptic, 30 × 12 cm, with 5 pairs of prominent lateral veins.
The leaves turn blue-green on drying and yield the popular indigo dye. The flowers are reddish or
bluish white, sweet scented, and occur in panicles between May and June. The fruits are 30 × 20 cm
and occur as flat pods, indehiscent, and enclose 1-5 seeds. The fruits turn bluish black on drying.
9
Habitat and Distribution —
The plant grows in fringe, deciduous, and savanna forests. It
occurs from Guinea to Cameroon.
Ethnomedicinal Uses —
The main use of indigo vine is in the preparation of local embrocation
for sprains and for healing of yaws. The leaves are also used as a poultice for ulcers and as dressing
for skin diseases. In Ivory Coast, women have been reported as using a decoction of the roots and
leafy stems as postpartum medication.
9
The leaves have been used as ingredients for the preparation
of stomachic in Ghana and as treatment for leprosy and cataract in Sierra Leone.
9
The stem bark and
roots have been employed as a general tonic and remedy for fevers. The leaf decoction has also been
used for venereal diseases and semen insufficiency.266
266
Constituents —
It contains the insecticide rotenone. Glycyrrhetinic acid and related oleanolic
acid derivatives have been shown to be present in the plant.
723
Flavonoids and pterocarpans have
also been reported from a related species,
P. laxiflorus.724
.
724
Pharmacological Studies —
Extracts of
L. cyanescens
have been shown to reduce carra-
geenan-induced rat paw edema, as well as adjuvant-induced polyarthritis in rat.
725
LONCHOCARPUS SERICEUS
Botanical Name
—
Lonchocarpus sericeus
(Poir.) Kunth.
Synonyms —
Robinea sericea
Poir.,
Derris sericea
( Poi r.) Ducke
Family —
Leguminosae
Common Name —
Senegal lilac
African Names —
Ashsnti: totoro; Igbo: njassi; Sefwi: boma; Twi: jwandwoananin, ofefrae,
osantewa; Wassaw: dukaw; Yoruba: ipapo
Description —
This is a shrub but often grows to a medium-size tree, about 12-15 m high and
1.2-1.4 m girth, sometimes branching near the base. In poor soils, usually by the roadside, it occurs
as a struggling shrub less than 5 m high. It has a smooth, grayish bark, with a yellowish-brown slash
with reddish tints. The twigs and young shoots are covered with brownish velvety hairs. Leaves are
pinnate, with 3-5 (sometimes 7) pairs of opposite leaflets 6-14 cm long, 3-9 cm wide, increasing
in size toward the terminal leaflet, ovate-elliptic or elliptic, apex shortly or bluntly acuminate, base
rounded to broadly cuneate or subcordate, margins entire or slightly wavy, glabrous above, pubes-
cent below, midrib prominent below, and lateral nerves in 6-10 pairs. It produces pale purple or lilac
color flowers, with a broadly cup-shaped calyx, 5 mm long and densely hairy. The flowers are borne
December-February and April-July. The fruits occur as flattened indehiscent pods, clustered, per-
sistent, about 12 cm long and 1 cm wide, irregularly constricted between the seeds and more or
less twisted, both ends acute with thickened margins. The pods encapsulate oblong kidney-shaped,
reddish-brown seeds, about 7 mm long and 5 mm wide.
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