Sesbania javanica

Family: Fabaceae

What it is like

A tall shrubby herb. It has a woody base. It grows 2-4 m tall. The leaves are compound. The leaves have leaflets along the stalk and one at the end. There are 10-30 pairs of leaflets. They are narrowly oblong and rounded at the ends. They are up to 2.5 cm long and 2-4 mm wide. There are 5-12 flowers in a group . These are 10 cm long. They are bright yellow with brown spots. They hang along stalks from the axils of leaves. The flowers are edible. The fruit is a straight pod that hangs down. It is 18-20 cm long by 4 mm wide. They are violet or brown. There are many seeds. They are round, shiny and 3 mm across.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It is a marsh plant. It grows in swampy places.

Countries/locations it is found in

Andamans, Asia, Cambodia, China, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, SE Asia, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam

How it is used for food

The flowers are eaten. They can be eaten raw as a vegetable or dipped into flour then fried as fritters. The young leaves and fruit are cooked and eaten in times of food scarcity. The flowers give a yellow colouring to desserts such as sticky rice balls.

The flowers are sold in markets.

Edible parts

Leaves, flowers, fruit

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Diendien phao, Dienthanh hat-tron, Kareejeenangi, Kathsola, Sa-no, Sano kin dak, Snao, Snov

Synonyms

Aeschynomene paludosa Roxb.; Sesbania aculeata var. paludosa Baker; Sesbania cochinchinensis (Lour.) DC,; Sesbania paludosa Prain; Sesbania roxburghii Merr.; and others