Flemingia strobilifera

Flemingia strobilifera, commonly known as the luck plant or wild hops, is a perennial flowering plant in the legume family, Fabaceae, and subfamily Faboideae. It is native to South, East and Southeast Asia.

Luck plant
Green bracts of inflorescence
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
(unranked):
(unranked):
(unranked):
Order:
Family:
Subfamily:
Tribe:
Subtribe:
Cajaninae
Genus:
Species:
F. strobilifera
Binomial name
Flemingia strobilifera
Synonyms
  • Flemingia bracteata (Roxb.) Wight
  • Flemingia fruticulosa Benth.
  • Flemingia strobilifera var. bracteata (Roxb.) Baker
  • Flemingia strobilifera var. fruticulosa (Benth.) Baker
  • Hedysarum bracteatum Roxb.
  • Hedysarum strobiliferum L.
  • Moghania bracteata (Roxb.) H.L.Li
  • Moghania fruticulosa (Benth.) Mukerjee
  • Moghania strobilifera (L.) J.St.-Hil.
  • Moghania strobilifera (L.) Kuntze
  • Moghania strobilifera (L.) Jacks.
  • Zornia strobilifera (L.) Pers. [2]

Range

It is common in China, Taiwan, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Laos, Myanmar; Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea and Philippines.[1]

Description

The erect, perennial shrub grows 1.5 m to 2 m tall.[3] The leaves are ovate to oblong with pinnate venation and wavy margins. It flowers from October to December.[4] Each small, white pea-shaped flower is enclosed by a pair of reniform flower bracts. The alternating bracts are arranged in 2 files along the raceme, and eventually turn papery as they dry out. The small, cylindrical pods release their tiny black and red seeds by explosive dehiscence.[3]

Uses

In many parts of the Indian subcontinent it is used as a traditional medicine to treat epilepsy, hysteria and fever.[3][4] It is an essential part of the Bihu (গৰু বিহু) festival, during which the cattle are washed and gently beaten with twigs of this plant.[5] It is known as makhiyoti (মাখিয়তী) in the north-eastern Indian state of Assam.

Ecology

The species is invasive in New Caledonia. [6] In Panama it is a problematic alien plant species[7]

References

  1. "Flemingia strobilifera". Germplasm Resources Information Network. Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 23 January 2018.
  2. "Flemingia strobilifera (L.) W.T.Aiton — the Plant List".
  3. "Flemingia strobilifera". NParks Flora&Fauna Web. Singapore Government. Retrieved 8 December 2017.
  4. "Wild Hops". Flowers of India. Retrieved 8 December 2017.
  5. Flemingia strobilifera (L.) R. Br.
  6. Hequet, Vanessa (2009). Les espèces exotiques envahissantes de Nouvelle-Calédonie (PDF) (in French). p. 17.
  7. Lopez, Omar. (2012). Introduced Alien Plant Species in the Neotropics: the Panama Case. The Open Ecology Journal. 5. 84. 10.2174/1874213001205010084.


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