Indigofera

Indigo Indigofera tinctoria, copyright Kurt Stüber.

Belongs within: Papilionoideae.

Indigofera is a genus of leguminous plants found in tropical and subtropical regions around the world.

Characters (from Flora of China): Shrubs, shrublets, perennial herbs, or rarely annual herbs or small trees; trichomes typically medifixed (T-shaped), equally to very unequally 2-branched and sometimes crisped, or rarely simple multicellular hairs present with glandular tips. Stipules persistent or caducous. Leaves usually imparipinnate but for some species simple or reduced to 1 leaflet; stipels present or absent; leaflet blades usually opposite but sometimes subopposite or alternate, rarely with glands, margin entire. Racemes axillary; bracts usually caducous. Calyx campanulate or cup-shaped; teeth 5, subequal or abaxial one longer. Corolla usually reddish, sometimes white or yellow; standard usually covered outside with appressed trichomes but occasionally glabrous, base shortly clawed, apex usually obtuse to emarginate and mucronate; wings narrow, base auricled; keel falcate or spatulate, with spur adnate to wings. Stamens 10, diadelphous, only vexillary one free; anthers uniform, basifixed or subbasifixed, sometimes both ends hairy, apex apiculate; pollen 3-colporate. Ovary sessile, with 1 to many ovules; style linear, usually glabrous; stigma capitate. Legume linear, oblong, or ovoid, cylindric or 4-sided in cross section, 2-valved, septate, dehiscent; endocarp often spotted with tannin deposits. Seeds globose to rectangular; hilum small; cotyledons unequal; radicle oblique.

<==Indigofera
    |--I. acanthoclada CV06
    |--I. anabibensis CV06
    |--I. anil C55
    |--I. argentea PP07
    |--I. arreca K08
    |--I. australis C08
    |--I. boviperda KM08
    |--I. cassioides P03
    |--I. coerulea C55
    |--I. colutea LK14
    |--I. constricta SR07
    |--I. cordifolia PP07
    |--I. galagoides SR07
    |--I. georgei KM08
    |--I. giessii CV06
    |--I. glandulosa LK14
    |--I. haplophylla LK14
    |--I. hirsuta LK14
    |--I. hochstetteri PP07
    |    |--I. h. ssp. hochstetteri CV06
    |    `--I. h. ssp. streyana CV06
    |--I. linifolia LK14
    |--I. linnaei PP07
    |--I. mackinlayi LK14
    |--I. merxmuelleri CV06
    |--I. oblongifolia PP07
    |--I. pechuelii CV06
    |--I. polygaloides LK14
    |--I. pratensis LK14
    |--I. rautanenii CV06
    |--I. rupicola LK14
    |--I. sessiliflora PP07
    |--I. suffruticosa CP13
    |--I. tinctoria PP07
    |--I. trifoliata LK14
    |--I. trita LK14
    `--I. viscosa C06

*Type species of generic name indicated

REFERENCES

[C08] Cambage, R. H. 1908. Notes on the native flora of New South Wales. Part VI. Deepwater to Torrington and Emmaville. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 33 (1): 45–65, pls 1–2.

[C55] Candolle, A. de. 1855. Géographie Botanique Raisonée: Ou exposition des faits principaux et des lois concernant la distribution géographique des plantes de l’époque actuelle vol. 2. Librairie de Victor Masson: Paris.

[CP13] Cardoso, D., R. T. Pennington, L. P. de Queiroz, J. S. Boatwright, B.-E. Van Wyk, M. F. Wojciechowski & M. Lavin. 2013. Reconstructing the deep-branching relationships of the papilionoid legumes. South African Journal of Botany 89: 58–75.

[C06] Cheeseman, T. F. 1906. Manual of the New Zealand Flora. John Mackay, Government Printer: Wellington.

[CV06] Craven, P., & P. Vorster. 2006. Patterns of plant diversity and endemism in Namibia. Bothalia 36 (2): 175–189.

[KM08] Keighery, G. J., & W. Muir. 2008. Vegetation and vascular flora of Faure Island, Shark Bay, Western Australia. Records of the Western Australian Museum Supplement 75: 11–19.

[K08] Kirkaldy, G. W. 1908. A catalogue of the Hemiptera of Fiji. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 33: 345–391, pl. 4.

[LK14] Lyons, M. N., G. J. Keighery, L. A. Gibson & T. Handasyde. 2014. Flora and vegetation communities of selected islands off the Kimberley coast of Western Australia. Records of the Western Australian Museum Supplement 81: 205–244.

[PP07] Pandey, R. P., & P. M. Padhye. 2007. Studies on phytodiversity of Arid Machia Safari Park-Kailana in Jodhpur (Rajasthan). Bulletin of the Botanical Survey of India 49: 15–78.

[P03] Paul, T. K. 2003. Botanical observations on the Purulia pumped storage hydropower project area, Bagmundi Hills, Purulia district, West Bengal. Bulletin of the Botanical Survey of India 45: 121–142.

[SR07] Sankar, R. V., K. Ravikumar, N. M. Ganesh Babu & D. K. Ved. 2007. Botany of Anapady MPCA, Palghat district, Kerala with special emphasis on species of conservation concern. Bulletin of the Botanical Survey of India 49: 165–172.