Cicer microphyllum

Family: Fabaceae or Leguminosae

What it is like

Cicer microphyllum is a PERENNIAL growing to 0.2 m (0ft 6in). The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs). It can fix Nitrogen. Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought.

Height (m): 0.2

Where it is found

Dry slopes at 3300 - 4800 metres. Hill slopes or river banks at elevations of 1600 - 4600 metres in Tibet.

E. Asia - Himalayas from Afghanistan to Tibet and western Nepal.

Conservation Status:

Countries/locations it is found in

How it is used

Food

Rating: 2

Seed - raw or cooked. Young shoots - pickled or used as a potherb. A vinegar can be made from the acid dew that forms on the leaves overnight.

Seed: includes nuts, cereals, peas and beans.

Medicine

Rating: 0

Other

Rating:

Nitrogen Fixer: Plants that fix nitrogen in the soil

How it is grown

We have very little information on this species and do not know if it will be hardy in Britain, though judging by its native range it should succeed outdoors in many parts of this country. It grows in dry soils in the wild and is likely to require a sunny position and a very well-drained soil in this country. This species is cultivated in the Himalayas. 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.

Propagating it: Seed - sow spring in the greenhouse. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in a greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts.

Best place to grow: Cultivated Beds;

Habit: Perennial

Hardiness:

Growth:

Soil: Light (sandy), medium

Shade: No shade

Moisture: Dry, moist

Things to keep in mind

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

C. jacquemontii. C. soongaricum. Steph.