Indigofera spicata, the creeping indigo or trailing indigo, is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae. It is native to Sub‑Saharan Africa, Madagascar, Mauritius, Réunion, and Yemen, and has been introduced to the southeastern United States, various Caribbean islands, Brazil and other locations in Latin America, various Pacific islands, and New South Wales and Queensland in Australia.[1] It was considered to be a promising forage plant, and then shown to be toxic to nearly all livestock, but it is possible that the experiments were conducted on the similar Indigofera hendecaphylla, leading to some confusion.[2]

Indigofera spicata
Seedpods and foliage
Inflorescence
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Subfamily: Faboideae
Genus: Indigofera
Species:
I. spicata
Binomial name
Indigofera spicata
Synonyms[1]
  • Indigofera parkeri Baker
  • Indigofera parvula Delile
  • Indigofera schimperiana Hochst.

Subtaxa

edit

The following varieties are accepted:[1]

  • Indigofera spicata var. spicata

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c "Indigofera spicata Forssk". Plants of the World Online. Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
  2. ^ Heuzé, V.; Tran, G.; Maxin, G.; Lebas, F. (19 April 2016). "Creeping indigo (Indigofera spicata and Indigofera hendecaphylla)". Feedipedia – Animal Feed Resources Information System. Feedipedia, a programme by INRAE, CIRAD, AFZ and FAO. Retrieved 28 May 2021.