Threeleaf derris
Derris trifoliata

Family: Fabaceae

What it is like

A climber. It is a woody vine. They can be 4 cm across. The leaves are compound and usually have 3-7 leaflets. The leaflets are narrowly oval and 6-15 cm long by 3-8 cm wide. The flowering shoots are 7-10 cm long. The flowers are white to pink. They are 13 mm across. The fruit are flat and 4-5 cm long by 2-3 cm wide. They usually only have one seed. The seed is kidney shaped and 25 mm long by 18 mm wide.

There are about 80 Derris species.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in brackish water near rivers. It occurs in the Western Ghats in India.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, American Samoa, Asia, Australia, Cambodia, Caroline islands, Chuuk, Fiji, FSM, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Madagascar, Maldives, Mascarenes, Micronesia, Myanmar, Pacific, Palau, Rotuma, Samoa, SE Asia, Thailand, Tonga, Vietnam

How it is used for food

Edible parts

Leaves, caution

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from seeds or cuttings.

Its other names

Local names

Akar tuba biasa, Cocken, Cocken nuoc, Fue o'ona, Nwe-net, Vohonikorifotsy, Wunenipot, Wupenipot

Synonyms

Dalbergia heterophylla Willd.; Deguelia trifoliata (Lour.) Taub.; Derris affinis Benth.; Derris uliginosa (Willd.) Benth.; and others