Wild hops, Luck plant
Flemingia strobilifera

Family: Fabaceae

What it is like

A shrub. It grows to about 3 m high. The bark is reddish. It has many small corky spots on the bark. The leaves are 3-14 cm long by 2.8-4.8 cm wide. They are simple and oval. There are hairs on the midrib. The flowers are greenish white. They occur at the ends of branches. The fruit is a pod. It is finely downy.

There are about 35 Flemingia species.

Where it is found

It is a tropical and subtropical plant. In Nepal it grows between 300-2300 m altitude. In southern China it grows on mountain slopes between 200-1,600 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Cambodia, Central America, China, Dominican Republic, East Timor, Guianas, Haiti, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Jamaica, Laos, Malaysia, Marquesas, Mauritius, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, SE Asia, South America, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Taiwan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Vietnam, West Indies

How it is used for food

The ripe fruit are eaten fresh.

Edible parts

Fruit

How it is grown

Plants are grown from seed.

Its other names

Local names

Apa-apa kebo, Barkauli jhar, Bhatmas jhar, Gatak, Kamiraso, Kanphuta, Kapen ketipes, Otok-otok, Perdu hahapaan, Se-laik-pya, Serengan, Thingu-gyat, Topmo co-choi

Synonyms

Hedysarum strobiliferum L.; Moghania strobilifera (L.) j.Saint-Hilaire ex Kuntze; Flemingia fruticulosa Wallich ex Benth.; Moghania fruticulosa (Wall.ex Benth.) Mukerjee; Hedysarum bracteatum Roxb.; Flemingia bracteata (Roxb.) Wight; Moghania bracteata (Roxb.) H.L.Li;