Siralli
Indigofera cassioides
Family: Fabaceae
What it is like
An erect shrub. It grows 10-15 cm high. The young branches are hairy. The leaves have an odd number of leaflets. The leaves are 7-15 cm long. There are 11-21 leaflets. They are 1-2 cm long by 7-15 mm wide. The flowers are purple-red in colour. The fruit is a pod 2.4-4.3 cm long and about 4 mm wide. It is straight. There are 8-12 seeds.
There are about 500-700 Indigofera species. They grow in the tropics and subtropics.
Where it is found
It it s subtropical and tropical plant. In southern China it grows in slopes and grasslands between 300-2,000 m above sea level. In Sikkim it grows between 800-1,400 m above sea level.
Countries/locations it is found in
Asia, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Northeastern India, Pakistan, SE Asia, Sikkim, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam
How it is used for food
The flowers are eaten as a vegetable. The flowers are also pickled.
Edible parts
Flowers, pod, leaves, seeds
How it is grown
In China plants flower in January to March and fruit in April to June.
Its other names
Local names
Bilhul, Cham muong, Girli, Jirhul, Kathi, Neel, Sakhina