Cat's tail, Cattail pea
Uraria crinita

Family: Fabaceae

What it is like

A shrub. It grows 1.5-2 m tall. It keeps growing from year to year. The leaves have 1-3 leaflets. The leaflets are finely hairy underneath. The flowers are pink or purple. Many flowers can occur together in a dense, erect raceme. The fruit are pods which have 5-7 joints. They are black.

There are about 6 Uraria species. The whole plant is used medicinally. Also as Papilionaceae.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows below 850 m in Southern China. It suits hardiness zones 10-12. In Yunnan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Australia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Pacific, Philippines, Ryukyu, SE Asia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam

How it is used for food

Edible parts

Leaves, root

How it is grown

Plants are grown from seed.

Its other names

Local names

Dieng-kha-riu, Hahng-kar-rok, Hang karawk, Hauvi toc, Kedudong padang, Mao wei cao, Pokok ekur anjing, Pokok ekur kuching, Serengan hutan

Synonyms

Doodia crinita Roxburgh; Hedysarum crinitum Linnaeus; Uraria crinita var. macrostachya Wallich; Uraria macrostachya (Wallich) Schindler;