Wild gram
Cicer microphyllum

Family: Fabaceae

What it is like

A herb. The stems are branched and hairy. The leaves are compound and 4-12 cm long. They end with a tendril or sometimes a leaflet. There are 8-22 leaflets and they are 5-15 mm long by 3-8 mm wide. The flowers usually occur singly. The fruit is a pod 2-3 cm long and 1 cm wide. It has a beak. There are many seeds.

Where it is found

It grows in cold arid places. In the Indian Himalayas it grows between 3,300-4,000 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Afghanistan, China, Himalayas, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Tibet

How it is used for food

The leaves are used cooked and also used in pickles. The unripe seeds are eaten as a snack.

The unripe seeds are eaten by children. It is cultivated.

Edible parts

Leaves, seeds, fruit

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Chiri, Ludut, Ner, Seri, Srad-kar

Synonyms

Cicer jacquemontii Jaub. & Spach; Cicer songaricum auct. non Steph. ex DC.;