Indigofera suffruticosa Miller

Leguminosae

Synonyms

• Indigofera anil Linnaeus

Common names:

Indigo, 'Initiko

Description:

Shrub, perennial, branched, erect stems, may reach 3 m high. Grows from spring to autumn, flowers in spring and fruits/seeds ripe in summer. Suffers frosts, resistant to drought.

Distribution:

Origin tropical America, extended to subtropical Argentina, tropical/subtropical Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay.

Habitat:

On sandy soils along rivers or sea coast associated with humid lowland meadows; often in disturbed soils, road sides, arable land, in soils with low pH and fertility; good for soil improvement, well adapted to fertile silty-sandy soils.

Use:

Limited use as a forage, good for soil cover and green manure.

Nodulation & N fixation:

Nodulates in 10 cm of top soil, Rhizobium slowly growing. In Australia nodulates with the cowpea group.

Main References:

Allen & Allen, (1981); Burkart (1987); Izaguirre & Beyhaut (1998)