Desmodium microphyllum

Family: Fabaceae

What it is like

A low creeping legume with hairy stems. It is slightly more upright than Desmodium repandum. The stems can be 1.5 m long. It has 3 leaflets the edges of which are slightly wavy. They are 0.2-2.5 cm long and 1-7 mm wide. The leaf stalk is 1-3 mm long but can be longer. The flowers are on long unbranched terminal groups. These clusters are 1-5 cm long. It has cream, pink and blue flowers. They are 4-5 mm long. The fruit are pods 0.5-1.3 cm long and 2.5-3 mm wide. They have 3 to 4 joints. The segments are rounded.

The roots are used in medicine. There are about 350 Desmodium species. They are mostly in the tropics. Also as Papilionaceae.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. In Papua New Guinea it occurs between 360 and 2000 m altitude. It occurs on the plains and hills of India except in the drier areas. In Sichuan and Yunnan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Australia, Cambodia, China, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pacific, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, SE Asia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam

How it is used for food

The young leaves are eaten as a vegetable.

Edible parts

Leaves

How it is grown

They are mostly self sown in grassland and old garden sites in the bush.

Its other names

Local names

Khet-sunsuni, Trangqua la-nho, Xiao ye san dian jin

Synonyms

Codariocalyx microphyllus (Thunb.) H. Ohashi; Desmodium parvifolium DC.; Hedysarum microphyllum Thunberg;