Indigofera oblongifolia Forssk.
I. lotoides Lam., I. paucifolia Delile, I. desmodioides Baker
Eng.: Indigo. Spa.: Índigo. Fre.: Indigotier. Ara. (Hassanía): Tufel henné, (Egypt): dahseer.
Shrub 1-1.5 m in height, highly branched and generally intricate, with silvery pubescence. Leaves alternate, imparipinnate, petiole 0.5-1 cm, with rachis 1-2 cm, and with (1)2-7 leaflets, 1.5-3.5 × 0.4-0.8 cm, alternate, oblong, pubescent-rough on both sides. Inflorescences in axillary racemes of many flowers. Calyx 2-3 mm, with triangular teeth of the same length as the tube. Corolla 4-5 mm, papilionoid, purple, with standard pubescent on the outside. Androecium monadelphous. Pod 1.2-1.8 × 0.2 cm, curved, lomentaceous, with rough pubescence and 5-8 seeds.
Flowering:
March to April.
Fruiting:
May to July.
Habitat:
Cleared forest in somewhat dry tropical areas, savannahs and deserts.
Distribution:
Tropical areas of Africa and Asia, from Mauritania to Indonesia. In North Africa it is found in the southern Sahara and the Sahel, reaching towards the NE up to the N of Egypt.
Conservation status:
A relatively common and widespread species, not considered threatened. In the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species it is listed as Least Concern (LC) at global level (Groom, 2012).