Indigofera tinctoria L.

🗒 Synonyms

synonym	Indigofera houer Forssk.
synonym	Indigofera indica Lam.
synonym	Indigofera oligophylla Baker
synonym	Indigofera sumatrana Gaertn.
synonym	Indigofera tinctoria var. brachycarpa DC.
synonym	Indigofera tinctoria var. macrocarpa DC.

🗒 Common Names

Assamese	Neel bam
English	Bengal indigo Black Henna Ceylon Indigo Chinese Indigo Commercial Indigo Common Indigo Digo Dyers Indigo East Asian Indigo Plant Indian indigo Indian Maddar True Indigo Wild Indigo
Malayalam	Amari Neelayamari Neelichedi Nilam Vellaamari
Other	Avuri Neeli

📚 Overview

Overview

Summary

Herb

Dr. Chandra Barooah & Iftikher Ahmed (2014) Assam Science Technology and Environment Council.

Attributions	Dr. Chandra Barooah & Iftikher Ahmed (2014) Assam Science Technology and Environment Council.
Contributors	admin
Status	UNDER_CREATION
Licenses	CC_BY
References

Brief

Flowering class: Dicot Habit: Shrub

Dr. N Sasidharan (Dr. B P Pal Fellow), Kerala Forest Research Institute, Peechi

Attributions	Dr. N Sasidharan (Dr. B P Pal Fellow), Kerala Forest Research Institute, Peechi
Contributors	D. Narasimhan
Status	UNDER_CREATION
Licenses	CC_BY
References

Diagnostic

Diagnostic Keys

Description

Habit: Herb

G. Renu, Sanjana Julias Thilakar, D. Narasimhan, Centre for Floristic Research, Department of Botany, Madras Christian College, Tambaram

Attributions	G. Renu, Sanjana Julias Thilakar, D. Narasimhan, Centre for Floristic Research, Department of Botany, Madras Christian College, Tambaram
Contributors	Sanjana Julias Thilakar G Renu D. Narasimhan
Status	UNDER_CREATION
Licenses	CC_BY
References

Suffrutescent herbs, to 1.5 m tall; stem erect, appresed-pubescent. Leaves pinnately 5-13-foliolate; leaflets opposite, 5-22 x 5-12 mm, elliptic to obovate, base and apex rounded, darkening on drying; stipules c. 2 mm long, subulate. Inflorescence axillary, spicate-racemose, many-flowered. Flowers 5-7 mm long, red; pedicels c. 1 mm long. Calyx 2-3 mm long, pubescent; lobes narrow lanceolate, acuminate. Petals reddish; standard c. 4 mm long, suborbicular. Ovary 8-12-ovuled, hairy. Pods 2-3 cm long, c. 2 mm wide, linear, straight or slightly curved, 8-12-seeded.

Dr. N Sasidharan (Dr. B P Pal Fellow), Kerala Forest Research Institute, Peechi

Attributions	Dr. N Sasidharan (Dr. B P Pal Fellow), Kerala Forest Research Institute, Peechi
Contributors	D. Narasimhan
Status	UNDER_CREATION
Licenses	CC_BY
References

SubSpecies Varieties Races

Diagnostic Keys

Description

No Data

📚 Nomenclature and Classification

Nomenclature and Classification

Taxon Record Name

References

Type Information

No Data

📚 Natural History

Natural History

Life Cycle

Cyclicity

Flowering and fruiting: August-December

Dr. N Sasidharan (Dr. B P Pal Fellow), Kerala Forest Research Institute, Peechi

Attributions	Dr. N Sasidharan (Dr. B P Pal Fellow), Kerala Forest Research Institute, Peechi
Contributors	D. Narasimhan
Status	UNDER_CREATION
Licenses	CC_BY
References

Miscellaneous Details

Notes: Moist deciduous forests, Plains to Low Altitude, Dry Localities

G. Renu, Sanjana Julias Thilakar, D. Narasimhan, Centre for Floristic Research, Department of Botany, Madras Christian College, Tambaram

Attributions	G. Renu, Sanjana Julias Thilakar, D. Narasimhan, Centre for Floristic Research, Department of Botany, Madras Christian College, Tambaram
Contributors	G Renu D. Narasimhan Sanjana Julias Thilakar
Status	UNDER_CREATION
Licenses	CC_BY
References

No Data

📚 Habitat and Distribution

Habitat and Distribution

General Habitat

Degraded forest areas and scrub jungles, also in the plains

Dr. N Sasidharan (Dr. B P Pal Fellow), Kerala Forest Research Institute, Peechi

Attributions	Dr. N Sasidharan (Dr. B P Pal Fellow), Kerala Forest Research Institute, Peechi
Contributors	D. Narasimhan
Status	UNDER_CREATION
Licenses	CC_BY
References

Waste field, roadsides, margin of cultivable fields

Dr. Chandra Barooah & Iftikher Ahmed (2014) Assam Science Technology and Environment Council.

Attributions	Dr. Chandra Barooah & Iftikher Ahmed (2014) Assam Science Technology and Environment Council.
Contributors	admin
Status	UNDER_CREATION
Licenses	CC_BY
References

Distribution

Description

Global Distribution

Paleotropics, widely cultivated

Indian distribution

State - Kerala, District/s: All Districts

Dr. N Sasidharan (Dr. B P Pal Fellow), Kerala Forest Research Institute, Peechi

Attributions	Dr. N Sasidharan (Dr. B P Pal Fellow), Kerala Forest Research Institute, Peechi
Contributors	D. Narasimhan
Status	UNDER_CREATION
Licenses	CC_BY
References

Maharashtra: Common throughout Karnataka: Chikmagalur, Hassan, Mysore, S. Kanara Kerala: All districts Tamil Nadu: All districts

G. Renu, Sanjana Julias Thilakar, D. Narasimhan, Centre for Floristic Research, Department of Botany, Madras Christian College, Tambaram

Attributions	G. Renu, Sanjana Julias Thilakar, D. Narasimhan, Centre for Floristic Research, Department of Botany, Madras Christian College, Tambaram
Contributors	Sanjana Julias Thilakar G Renu D. Narasimhan
Status	UNDER_CREATION
Licenses	CC_BY
References

Global Distribution

India: Assam, Bihar, Maharastra; Australia, Myanmar, Malaysia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka

Indian Distribution

Assam

Dr. Chandra Barooah & Iftikher Ahmed (2014) Assam Science Technology and Environment Council.

Attributions	Dr. Chandra Barooah & Iftikher Ahmed (2014) Assam Science Technology and Environment Council.
Contributors	admin
Status	UNDER_CREATION
Licenses	CC_BY
References

Endemic Distribution

No Data

📚 Occurrence

Occurrence

No Data

📚 Demography and Conservation

Demography and Conservation

Protection Legal Status

No Data

📚 Uses and Management

Uses and Management

Uses

System of Medicines Used In

Homoeopathy

Ayurveda

Folk medicine

Siddha

Unani

Traditional chinese medicine

Sowa-Rigpa

Medicinal

Dr. N Sasidharan (Dr. B P Pal Fellow), Kerala Forest Research Institute, Peechi

Attributions	Dr. N Sasidharan (Dr. B P Pal Fellow), Kerala Forest Research Institute, Peechi
Contributors	D. Narasimhan
Status	UNDER_CREATION
Licenses	CC_BY
References

System Of Medicines Used In

Ayurveda, Folk medicine, Homoeopathy, Folk medicine, Sowa-Rigpa, Unani, Siddha, Traditional chinese medicine

FRLHT's ENVIS Centre on Medicinal Plants: http://envis.frlht.org/plant_details.php?disp_id=1186

Attributions	FRLHT's ENVIS Centre on Medicinal Plants: http://envis.frlht.org/plant_details.php?disp_id=1186
Contributors	FRLHT-ENVIS
Status	UNDER_CREATION
Licenses	CC_BY
References

Folklore

Management

No Data

📚 Information Listing

Information Listing

Species Resources

Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS)

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (IUCN)

Encyclopedia of Life (EOL)

Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)

National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI)

References

Flora of Tamil Nadu, VOL. I, 1983, Flora of Kolhapur District, Yadav S. R & Sardesai M. M, 2002, Biodiversity Documentation for Kerala Part 6: Flowering Plants, N. Sasidharan, 2004, Flora of Karnataka, Sharma B.D, 1984, Flora of Maharastra State Dicotyledones, Vol I, Lakshminarasimhan P. & Prasanna P. V, 2000

D K Ved, Suma Tagadur Sureshchandra, Vijay Barve, Vijay Srinivas, Sathya Sangeetha, K. Ravikumar, Kartikeyan R., Vaibhav Kulkarni, Ajith S. Kumar, S.N. Venugopal, B. S. Somashekhar, M.V. Sumanth, Noorunissa Begum, Sugandhi Rani, Surekha K.V., and Nikhil Desale. 2016. (envis.frlht.org / frlhtenvis.nic.in). FRLHT's ENVIS Centre on Medicinal Plants, Bengaluru. http://envis.frlht.org/plant_details.php?disp_id=1186

Indigofera sumatrana Gaertn., Fruct. 2: 317. t. 148. f. 4. 1791; Gamble, Fl. Pres. Madras 312(220). 1918.
Indigofera tinctoria L., Sp. Pl. 751. 1753; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 2: 99. 1876; Gamble, Fl. Pres. Madras 312(220). 1918; Mohanan, Fl. Quilon Dist. 153. 1984; Ansari, Fl. Kasaragod Div. 130. 1985; Ramach. & V.J. Nair, Fl. Cannanore Dist. 148. 1988; Antony, Syst. Stud. Fl. Kottayam Dist. 133. 1989; Vajr., Fl. Palghat Dist. 165. 1990; Sanjappa, Legumes Ind. 195. 1992; M. Mohanan & Henry, Fl. Thiruvanthapuram 154. 1994; Sanjappa in Hajra et. al., Fasc. Fl. Ind. 21: 133. 1995; Sasidh., Fl. Periyar Tiger Reserve 108. 1998; Sunil & Sivadasan, Fl. Alappuzha Dist. 230. 2009; Ratheesh Narayanan, Fl. Stud. Wayanad Dist. 297. 2009.

Information Listing > References

Flora of Tamil Nadu, VOL. I, 1983, Flora of Kolhapur District, Yadav S. R & Sardesai M. M, 2002, Biodiversity Documentation for Kerala Part 6: Flowering Plants, N. Sasidharan, 2004, Flora of Karnataka, Sharma B.D, 1984, Flora of Maharastra State Dicotyledones, Vol I, Lakshminarasimhan P. & Prasanna P. V, 2000
D K Ved, Suma Tagadur Sureshchandra, Vijay Barve, Vijay Srinivas, Sathya Sangeetha, K. Ravikumar, Kartikeyan R., Vaibhav Kulkarni, Ajith S. Kumar, S.N. Venugopal, B. S. Somashekhar, M.V. Sumanth, Noorunissa Begum, Sugandhi Rani, Surekha K.V., and Nikhil Desale. 2016. (envis.frlht.org / frlhtenvis.nic.in). FRLHT's ENVIS Centre on Medicinal Plants, Bengaluru. http://envis.frlht.org/plant_details.php?disp_id=1186
Indigofera sumatrana Gaertn., Fruct. 2: 317. t. 148. f. 4. 1791; Gamble, Fl. Pres. Madras 312(220). 1918.
Indigofera tinctoria L., Sp. Pl. 751. 1753; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 2: 99. 1876; Gamble, Fl. Pres. Madras 312(220). 1918; Mohanan, Fl. Quilon Dist. 153. 1984; Ansari, Fl. Kasaragod Div. 130. 1985; Ramach. & V.J. Nair, Fl. Cannanore Dist. 148. 1988; Antony, Syst. Stud. Fl. Kottayam Dist. 133. 1989; Vajr., Fl. Palghat Dist. 165. 1990; Sanjappa, Legumes Ind. 195. 1992; M. Mohanan & Henry, Fl. Thiruvanthapuram 154. 1994; Sanjappa in Hajra et. al., Fasc. Fl. Ind. 21: 133. 1995; Sasidh., Fl. Periyar Tiger Reserve 108. 1998; Sunil & Sivadasan, Fl. Alappuzha Dist. 230. 2009; Ratheesh Narayanan, Fl. Stud. Wayanad Dist. 297. 2009.