Bearded thermopsis
Thermopsis barbata
Family: Fabaceae
What it is like
A tufted herb. It keeps growing from year to year. The root is woody. The stem is 30-50 cm tall. The leaf has 3 leaflets. These are 1.5-3.8 cm long by 0.5-1.5 cm wide. They are sword shaped. The flower arrangement has 1-3 flower at each node. The flowers are dark violet-purple. The fruit is 3-3.5 cm long by 10 mm wide. There are 1-6 seeds.
There are 23 Thermopsis species.
Where it is found
It is a temperate plant. It grows between 3500-4500 m altitude in Uttar Pradesh in India. In Sichuan.
Countries/locations it is found in
Asia, Bhutan, China, Himalayas, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Tibet
How it is used for food
The branches and young rootstocks are cooked as a vegetable.
Edible parts
Branches, rootstocks
How it is grown
Its other names
Local names
Kailashi Chunchuni