Taxon:  Indigofera hirsuta L.



Summary
Genus:
Indigofera
Family:
Fabaceae (alt. Leguminosae)
Subfamily:
Faboideae
Tribe:
Indigofereae
Nomen number:
20017
Place of publication:
Sp. pl. 2:751.  1753
Verified:
09/14/2004 ARS Systematic Botanists.
Accessions:
33 (14  active, 14  available) in National Plant Germplasm System.  (Map it)
Other conspecific taxa
Autonyms (not in current use), synonyms and invalid designations
Images (3 total. Click on image for more.)
Embryo drawing

Conservation Status

Reference(s)
  1. University of Georgia Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health
  2. APHIS. Agricultural Risk Management System United States Department of Agriculture.
  3. Arechavaleta, M. et al., eds. 2005. Lista preliminar de especies silvestres de Cabo Verde: hongos, plantas y animales terrestres
  4. Aubréville, A. et al., eds. 1960-. Flore du Cambodge du Laos et du Viet-Nam.
  5. Australian Systematic Botany Society. 1981. Flora of central Australia.
  6. Boudet, G. et al. 1986. Catalogue des plantes vasculaires du Mali
  7. Brunel, J. F. et al., eds. 1984. Flore analytique du Togo. Phanerogames
  8. Duke, J. A. 1981. Handbook of legumes of world economic importance
  9. Englert, J. M. et al. 1999-. USDA-NRCS Improved conservation plant materials released by NRCS and cooperators
  10. Erhardt, W. et al. 2008. Der große Zander: Enzyklopädie der Pflanzennamen 1479.
  11. Faridah Hanum, I. & L. J. G. van der Maesen, eds. 1997. Auxiliary plants. In: Faridah Hanum, I. & L. J. G. van der Maesen, eds., Plant Resources of South-East Asia (PROSEA) 11:159-161.
  12. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). 2010. Ecocrop (on-line resource).
  13. Green, J. W. 1985. Census of the vascular plants of Western Australia
  14. Groth, D. 2005. pers. comm. Note: re. Brazilian common names
  15. Hnatiuk, R. J. 1990. Census of Australian vascular plants. Australian Flora and Fauna Series No. 11.
  16. Howard, R. 1974-1989. Flora of the lesser Antilles. Note: introd.
  17. Huang, S. F. & T. C. Huang. 1987. Taxonomic treatment of the Papilionoideae (Leguminosae) of Taiwan. Taiwania 32:11-117.
  18. Iwatsuki, K. et al. 1993-. Flora of Japan.
  19. Keay, R. W. J. & F. N. Hepper. 1953-1972. Flora of west tropical Africa, ed. 2.
  20. Kort, I. de & G. Thijsse. 1984. A revision of the genus Indigofera (Leguminosae-Papilionoideae) in Southeast Asia. Blumea 30:120.
  21. Kumar, S & P. V. Sane. 2003. Legumes of South Asia: a checklist.
  22. Lebrun, J.-P. et al. 1972. Catalogue des plantes vasculaires du Tchad meridional
  23. Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium. 1976. Hortus third. A concise dictionary of plants cultivated in the United States and Canada
  24. Liogier, H. A. & L. F. Martorell. 1982. Flora of Puerto Rico and adjacent islands: a systematic synopsis.
  25. Lock, J. M. & J. Heald. 1994. Legumes of Indochina: a checklist
  26. Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
  27. Matthew, K. M. 1983. The flora of the Tamilnadu Carnatic.
  28. Porcher, M. H. et al. Searchable World Wide Web Multilingual Multiscript Plant Name Database (MMPND) (on-line resource).
  29. Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
  30. Sanjappa, M. 1995. Leguminosae - Papilionoideae tribe Indigoferae. In: Botanical Survey of India, Fascicles of flora of India. 21:81-83.
  31. Smith, A. C. 1979-1991. Flora vitiensis nova.
  32. Thulin, M. 1983. Leguminosae of Ethiopia. Opera Bot. 68:1-223.
  33. Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa.
  34. University of California Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program. UC SAREP on-line cover crop database (on-line resource).
  35. Verdcourt, B. 1979. A manual of New Guinea legumes.
  36. Westphal, E. & P. C. M. Jansen, eds. 1989. A selection. In: Faridah Hanum, I. & L. J. G. van der Maesen, eds., Plant Resources of South-East Asia (PROSEA) A:161.
Common names
LanguageNameAlternate namenoteseqCitation
Englishhairy indigo  1Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
Englishrough hairy indigo  1Faridah Hanum, I. & L. J. G. van der Maesen, eds. 1997. Auxiliary plants. In: Faridah Hanum, I. & L. J. G. van der Maesen, eds., Plant Resources of South-East Asia (PROSEA) 11:159-161.
Germanbehaarter Indigostrauch  2Erhardt, W. et al. 2008. Der große Zander: Enzyklopädie der Pflanzennamen 1479.
Japanese Rōmajitanuki-komatsunagi  2Iwatsuki, K. et al. 1993-. Flora of Japan.
Portuguesefalso-anil  2Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
Portuguese (Brazil)anileira  2Groth, D. 2005. pers. comm. Note: re. Brazilian common names
Portuguese (Brazil)anileira-do-pasto  2Groth, D. 2005. pers. comm. Note: re. Brazilian common names
Portuguese (Brazil)anil-roxo  2Groth, D. 2005. pers. comm. Note: re. Brazilian common names
Portuguese (Brazil)índigo  2Groth, D. 2005. pers. comm. Note: re. Brazilian common names
Distribution
order_codeStatusContinentSubcontinentCountryStateNoteReference
1NativeAfricaEast Tropical AfricaKenya  Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
1NativeAfricaEast Tropical AfricaTanzania  Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
1NativeAfricaEast Tropical AfricaUganda  Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
1NativeAfricaMacaronesiaCabo Verde  Arechavaleta, M. et al., eds. 2005. Lista preliminar de especies silvestres de Cabo Verde: hongos, plantas y animales terrestres
1NativeAfricaNortheast Tropical AfricaChad  Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
1NativeAfricaNortheast Tropical AfricaEthiopia  Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
1NativeAfricaNortheast Tropical AfricaSudan  Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
1NativeAfricaSouth Tropical AfricaAngola  Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
1NativeAfricaSouth Tropical AfricaMalawi  Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
1NativeAfricaSouth Tropical AfricaMozambique  Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
1NativeAfricaSouth Tropical AfricaZambia  Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
1NativeAfricaSouth Tropical AfricaZimbabwe  Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
1NativeAfricaSouthern AfricaBotswana  Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
1NativeAfricaWest Tropical AfricaBenin  Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
1NativeAfricaWest Tropical AfricaCôte D'Ivoire  Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
1NativeAfricaWest Tropical AfricaGambia  Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
1NativeAfricaWest Tropical AfricaGhana  Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
1NativeAfricaWest Tropical AfricaGuinea  Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
1NativeAfricaWest Tropical AfricaGuinea-Bissau  Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
1NativeAfricaWest Tropical AfricaLiberia  Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
1NativeAfricaWest Tropical AfricaMali  Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
1NativeAfricaWest Tropical AfricaNiger  Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
1NativeAfricaWest Tropical AfricaNigeria  Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
1NativeAfricaWest Tropical AfricaSenegal  Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
1NativeAfricaWest Tropical AfricaSierra Leone  Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
1NativeAfricaWest Tropical AfricaTogo  Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
1NativeAfricaWest-Central Tropical AfricaBurundi  Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
1NativeAfricaWest-Central Tropical AfricaCameroon  Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
1NativeAfricaWest-Central Tropical AfricaCentral African Republic  Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
1NativeAfricaWest-Central Tropical AfricaCongo  Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
1NativeAfricaWest-Central Tropical AfricaDemocratic Republic of the Congo  Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
1NativeAfricaWest-Central Tropical AfricaEquatorial Guinea  Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
1NativeAfricaWest-Central Tropical AfricaGabon  Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
1NativeAfricaWestern Indian OceanMadagascar  Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
1NativeAsia-TemperateChinaChina s.? 
1NativeAsia-TemperateEastern AsiaTaiwan   
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentBangladesh  Kumar, S & P. V. Sane. 2003. Legumes of South Asia: a checklist.
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentIndiaAndhra Pradesh Kumar, S & P. V. Sane. 2003. Legumes of South Asia: a checklist.
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentIndiaAssam Kumar, S & P. V. Sane. 2003. Legumes of South Asia: a checklist.
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentIndiaBihar Kumar, S & P. V. Sane. 2003. Legumes of South Asia: a checklist.
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentIndiaGoa Kumar, S & P. V. Sane. 2003. Legumes of South Asia: a checklist.
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentIndiaHaryana Kumar, S & P. V. Sane. 2003. Legumes of South Asia: a checklist.
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentIndiaHimachal Pradesh Kumar, S & P. V. Sane. 2003. Legumes of South Asia: a checklist.
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentIndiaKarnataka Kumar, S & P. V. Sane. 2003. Legumes of South Asia: a checklist.
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentIndiaKerala Kumar, S & P. V. Sane. 2003. Legumes of South Asia: a checklist.
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentIndiaMadhya Pradesh Kumar, S & P. V. Sane. 2003. Legumes of South Asia: a checklist.
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentIndiaMaharashtra Kumar, S & P. V. Sane. 2003. Legumes of South Asia: a checklist.
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentIndiaMeghalaya Kumar, S & P. V. Sane. 2003. Legumes of South Asia: a checklist.
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentIndiaOdisha Kumar, S & P. V. Sane. 2003. Legumes of South Asia: a checklist.
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentIndiaPunjab Kumar, S & P. V. Sane. 2003. Legumes of South Asia: a checklist.
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentIndiaRajasthan Kumar, S & P. V. Sane. 2003. Legumes of South Asia: a checklist.
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentIndiaTamil Nadu Kumar, S & P. V. Sane. 2003. Legumes of South Asia: a checklist.
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentIndiaUttar Pradesh Kumar, S & P. V. Sane. 2003. Legumes of South Asia: a checklist.
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentIndiaWest Bengal Kumar, S & P. V. Sane. 2003. Legumes of South Asia: a checklist.
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentSri Lanka  Kumar, S & P. V. Sane. 2003. Legumes of South Asia: a checklist.
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndo-ChinaCambodia  Lock, J. M. & J. Heald. 1994. Legumes of Indochina: a checklist
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndo-ChinaLaos  Lock, J. M. & J. Heald. 1994. Legumes of Indochina: a checklist
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndo-ChinaMyanmar  Lock, J. M. & J. Heald. 1994. Legumes of Indochina: a checklist
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndo-ChinaThailand  Lock, J. M. & J. Heald. 1994. Legumes of Indochina: a checklist
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndo-ChinaVietnam  Lock, J. M. & J. Heald. 1994. Legumes of Indochina: a checklist
1NativeAsia-TropicalMalesiaIndonesia   
1NativeAsia-TropicalMalesiaPhilippines   
1NativeAsia-TropicalPapuasiaPapua New Guinea   
1NativeAustralasiaAustraliaAustraliaNew South Wales Hnatiuk, R. J. 1990. Census of Australian vascular plants. Australian Flora and Fauna Series No. 11.
1NativeAustralasiaAustraliaAustraliaNorthern Territory Hnatiuk, R. J. 1990. Census of Australian vascular plants. Australian Flora and Fauna Series No. 11.
1NativeAustralasiaAustraliaAustraliaQueensland Hnatiuk, R. J. 1990. Census of Australian vascular plants. Australian Flora and Fauna Series No. 11.
1NativeAustralasiaAustraliaAustraliaWestern Australia Hnatiuk, R. J. 1990. Census of Australian vascular plants. Australian Flora and Fauna Series No. 11.
2Cultivated    also cult. 
4Naturalized    natzd. in neotropics 
Native
Africa
  • MACARONESIA: Cabo Verde
  • NORTHEAST TROPICAL AFRICA: Ethiopia, Sudan, Chad
  • EAST TROPICAL AFRICA: Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda
  • WEST-CENTRAL TROPICAL AFRICA: Burundi, Central African Republic, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Congo, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea
  • WEST TROPICAL AFRICA: Benin, Côte D'Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo
  • SOUTH TROPICAL AFRICA: Angola, Mozambique, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe
  • SOUTHERN AFRICA: Botswana
  • WESTERN INDIAN OCEAN: Madagascar
Asia-Temperate
  • CHINA: China (s.?)
  • EASTERN ASIA: Taiwan
Asia-Tropical
  • INDIAN SUBCONTINENT: Bangladesh, India [Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Goa, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Meghalaya, Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal], Sri Lanka
  • PAPUASIA: Papua New Guinea
  • INDO-CHINA: Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam
  • MALESIA: Indonesia, Philippines
Australasia
  • AUSTRALIA: Australia [New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia, Northern Territory]
Cultivated (also cult.)
Naturalized (natzd. in neotropics)

Reference(s)
  1. Arechavaleta, M. et al., eds. 2005. Lista preliminar de especies silvestres de Cabo Verde: hongos, plantas y animales terrestres
  2. Hnatiuk, R. J. 1990. Census of Australian vascular plants. Australian Flora and Fauna Series No. 11.
  3. Kumar, S & P. V. Sane. 2003. Legumes of South Asia: a checklist.
  4. Lock, J. M. & J. Heald. 1994. Legumes of Indochina: a checklist
  5. Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
Economic Uses
UsageTypeNoteReference
Environmentalerosion control Faridah Hanum, I. & L. J. G. van der Maesen, eds. 1997. Auxiliary plants. In: Faridah Hanum, I. & L. J. G. van der Maesen, eds., Plant Resources of South-East Asia (PROSEA) 11:159-161.
Environmentalsoil improver Faridah Hanum, I. & L. J. G. van der Maesen, eds. 1997. Auxiliary plants. In: Faridah Hanum, I. & L. J. G. van der Maesen, eds., Plant Resources of South-East Asia (PROSEA) 11:159-161.
Cite as: USDA, Agricultural Research Service, National Plant Germplasm System. 2026. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN Taxonomy). National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland.
URL: https://npgstest.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomydetail?id=20017. Accessed 15 April 2026.