Crotalaria quinquefolia
Family: Fabaceae
What it is like
A shrub or herb. It grows 0.5-1.5 m tall and spreads 0.5-1 m wide. The stems are hollow. The leaves are compound and have 3-7 leaflets. The leaflets are 3-8 cm long by 1-3 cm wide. They are narrowly sword shaped. The flowering stalks are 10-15 cm long and at the ends of branches. The flowers are 2-3.5 cm long and yellow. The fruit are pods which are 4-6 cm long. The stalk of the pod is 1.2 cm long.
There are about 550 Crotalaria species. They are mostly tropical.
Where it is found
It is a tropical and subtropical plant. It grows in uncultivated fields, and swampy places. It needs well drained soils and a sunny location.
Countries/locations it is found in
Asia, Australia, Cambodia, Dominican Republic, Guyana, India, Indochina, Laos, Malaysia, Marquesas, Myanmar, Pacific, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, SE Asia, South America, Vietnam, West Indies
How it is used for food
Edible parts
Flowers
How it is grown
Plants are grown from seed. The seed need to be treated to break the hard seed coat.
Its other names
Local names
Changkrang sva thom, Sucsac nam-la, Taw-pikeson