Purple tephrosia
Tephrosia purpurea

Family: Fabaceae

What it is like

An erect or scrambling herb. It can grow each year from seed or continue growing for a few years. It is 40-80 cm high. The stems can be hairy or smooth. The leaves have an odd number of leaflets. The leaves have 9-21 leaflets which are oblong and 2 cm long by 6 mm wide. They have a point at the tip. The flowers are 8 mm long in slender flower arrangements growing opposite leaves. These stalks can be 20 cm long. The flower standard is white inside and purple outside. The keel is green with a purple tip. The fruit are narrow pods curved upwards towards the tip. They are 4-5 cm long and 4-6 mm wide. They have short hairs. There are 6-9 seeds spaced more widely apart.

Chemical composition (acid composition of seeds, Singhalese sample): Oil = 7%. Component esters (wt. %): 16:0 = 16%. 18: = 7%. 18:1 = 25%. 18:2 = 24%. 18:3 = 24%. 20:0 = 2%.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It is self sown in grasslands. In Papua New Guinea it grows from 30 to 120 m altitude. It grows on the Deccan in India. It grows in the Sahara. It grows in arid places. In Sichuan and Yunnan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, American Samoa, Angola, Asia, Australia, Bangladesh, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Central Africa, Central African Republic, CAR, Central America, Chad, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo R, Cook Is., Cuba, Dkibouti, Dominican Republic, East Africa, Eswatini, Fiji, Gambia, Ghana, Guianas, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Hawaii, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Iran, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Kenya, Laccadive Is., Laos, Lesser Antilles, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Marquesas, Mauritius, Mediterranean, Mexico, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, New Caledonia, Niue, North Africa, Oman, Pacific, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Reunion, Rotuma, Samoa, Saudi Arabia, SE Asia, Senegal, Seychelles, South Africa, Southern Africa, South America, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Swaziland, Taiwan, Thailand, Tonga, Trinidad-Tobago, USA, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Wallis and Futuna, West Africa, West Indies, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The roasted seeds are used instead of coffee. The seeds are eaten. The roots are used to flavour milk. The leaves are used for tea.

Edible parts

Leaves, seeds, roots, pods, flowers, vegetable

How it is grown

It is a short lived shrub.

Its other names

Local names

Amejmej, 'Avasa, Ban-nil, Bansa-bansu, Cotkhi tia, Doankiem tia, Haldri, Kohuhu, Ludumyo, Maheero, Me-yaing, Sarphonki, Sarphooka, Trom khmaoch, Trum khmoch

Synonyms

Cracca purpurea L.; Galega purpurea Linn.; Tephrosia hamiltonii Drumm. ex Gamble; Tephrosia piscatoria Persoon; Tephrosia purpurea var. pubescens Baker; and many others