Hylodesmum repandum
(Vahl) H. Ohashi & R. R. Mill.
Orange desmodium
(c) Tony Rebelo, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Tony Rebelo
(c) juddkirkel, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
(c) Craig Peter, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Craig Peter
What to Eat
Edible parts: Medicine, Leaves, Seeds
The leaves and seeds are eaten, though the plant is primarily used medicinally.
Where to Find It
It is a tropical plant.
Africa, Asia, Bhutan, China, East Africa, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, PNG, Philippines, SE Asia,
How to Identify
A bean family herb. It is woody at the base and grows 30-150 cm tall. It can be climbing or scrambling.
How to Grow
A plant of the moist tropics, almost always in areas of year-round rainfall in Asia, but also commonly in areas of seasonal rainfall in Africa. 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.
Medicinal Uses
The plant is used as medicine, particularly the leaves and seeds.
Other Uses
The plant has been used as a green manure and ground cover. The plant grows well in shade and would appear suitable as a cover-crop for coffee and other plantation crops.
Notes
Probably medicine.
Names & Synonyms
References (3)
- Useful Tropical Plants
- von Katja Rembold, 2011, Conservation status of the vascular plants in East African rain forests. Dissertation Universitat Koblenz-Landau p 169
- World Checklist of Useful Plant Species 2020. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
