Indigofera tinctoria L.
var. arcuata J.B. Gillett

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Photo: Bart Wursten
Mana Pools, by main road to camp

Photo: Bart Wursten
Near Mubvee (Hippo) Lodge, Mana Pools

Photo: Bart Wursten
Near lodges, Mana Pools NP

Photo: Bart Wursten
Lake Urema Floodplain, Gorongosa National Park

Photo: Bart Wursten
Near Hot Springs Resort, Save-Odzi Valley.

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Synonyms:	Indigofera suffruticosa sensu Conçalves non Mill.
Common names:
Frequency:
Status:	Native
Description:	Small shrub, usually up to c. 1 m tall. Stems and branches slightly angular. Leaves imparipinnate with 5-7 pairs of leaflets; leafltes 14-20 mm long, sparsely hairy on both surfaces. Inflorescences axillary. Flowers reddish-pink and yellowish-green, with brownish hairs on the back of the standard. Pods strongly sickle-shaped, up to c. 20 mm long, hairy.
Notes:	This variety is distinguished from var. tinctoria by the strongly curved fruit, often forming almost a full circle.
Derivation of specific name:	tinctoria: used as a dye. Soaking and fermenting the leaves of this species has already since ancient times been used to produce indigo dye, a distinctive blue-violet colouring. Nowadays these dyes are mostly produced synthetically.
Habitat:	In seasonally flooded woodland and mopane woodland, on Kalahari sands or clay, on riverbanks, cultivated areas and roadsides.
Altitude range:	Up to 1000 m
Flowering time:	(Jan-)Feb - Mar
Worldwide distribution:	(this variety): Angola, Ghana, Tanzania, Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Limpopo, Mpumalanga, South Africa. Var. tinctoria is widespread in Africa, Madagascar, Asia, Australasia and South America.
Mozambique distribution:	T,MS,GI
Growth form(s):	Shrub over 2 m.
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Content last updated:	Thursday 24 March 2016
Literature:	Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 34. Drummond, R.B. (1972). A list of Rhodesian Legumes. Kirkia 8(2) Page 222. Drummond, R.B. (1975). A list of trees, shrubs and woody climbers indigenous or naturalised in Rhodesia. Kirkia 10(1) Page 245. Gillett, J.B., Polhill, R.M. & Verdcourt, B. (1971). Leguminosae (Part 3) subfamily Papilionoideae (1) Flora of Tropical East Africa Page 308. Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 49. Schmidt, E., Lötter, M. & McCleland, W. (2002). Trees and shrubs of Mpumalanga and Kruger National Park Jacana, Johannesburg, South Africa Pages 210 - 211. (Includes a picture). Schrire, B.D. (1998). Notes relating to the genus Indigofera (Fabaceae) for Flora Zambesiaca: 2. Section Indigofera Kew Bulletin 53(3) Page 667. Schrire, B.D. (2012). Papilionoideae-Indigofereae Flora Zambesiaca 3(4) Pages 133 - 136. (Includes a picture). Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 68.

Other sources of information about Indigofera tinctoria var. arcuata:

Our websites:

Flora of Botswana: Indigofera tinctoria var. arcuata
Flora of Malawi: Indigofera tinctoria var. arcuata
Flora of Zambia: Indigofera tinctoria var. arcuata
Flora of Zimbabwe: Indigofera tinctoria var. arcuata

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Indigofera tinctoria
African Plant Database: Indigofera tinctoria
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Indigofera tinctoria
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Indigofera tinctoria
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Indigofera tinctoria
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Indigofera tinctoria
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Indigofera tinctoria
JSTOR Plant Science: Indigofera tinctoria
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Indigofera tinctoria
Plants of the World Online: Indigofera tinctoria
Tropicos: Indigofera tinctoria
Wikipedia: Indigofera tinctoria