Indigofera arabica Jaub. & Spach
نيلة، شجرة أرنب، نبتة الزلل
For people
- Eaten by people
- Unknown
- Toxic to people
- Unknown
For livestock
- Grazed by livestock
- Good fodder
- Toxic to livestock
- Unknown
Edibility and safety notes
No reliable information was found on whether people eat this plant or whether it is poisonous, so it should not be eaten. The Omani field guide rates it as good grazing for livestock, but no second source confirming this was found. Some other Indigofera species contain the liver toxin indospicine and have poisoned livestock; this species has not been tested in any source found.
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Description
A small shrub or perennial herb 30-60 cm tall, much-branched, erect or ascending. Branches grey-green, ribbed, hairy. Leaves pinnate with 5-9 leaflets; leaflets obovate to oblong, 3-8 x 2-5 mm, concave, hairy on both surfaces. Inflorescence a short axillary raceme. Flowers small, red or pink. Fruit a straight or slightly curved, cylindrical pod 10-15 mm long, with 4-8 almost cube-shaped seeds.
Habitat
Gravel wadis and among rocks; also sand and gravel plains and mountain tops.
Distribution
Native to northeastern tropical Africa, Sinai, the Arabian Peninsula, and Pakistan.
Pastoral value
Rated as good grazing by the Omani field guide; no independent source on its forage value was found.
Other uses
No documented traditional or economic uses were found for this species. It is a wild relative of true indigo (Indigofera tinctoria).
Sources
- الدليل الحقلي المصور للنباتات البرية في سلطنة عُمان (BOOK.pdf p.112)
- Plants of the World Online — Indigofera arabica Jaub. & Spach — powo.science.kew.org
- UAE National Red List of Vascular Plants — Indigofera arabica — nationalredlist.org
- Abu Dhabi DoH, Medicinal Plants of the UAE — Indigofera intricata (note on toxic Indigofera species) — medicinalplants.doh.gov.ae
- Accumulation, persistence and effects of indospicine residues in camels fed Indigofera plant (record) — update.library.uitm.edu.my
From the same family
All in this family
Fabaceae
Salam tree, Desert acacia
Acacia ehrenbergiana Hayne.
Fabaceae
Red thorn, Grey-haired acacia, Talh
Acacia gerrardii Benth.
Fabaceae
Gum arabic tree, Babul, Thorn mimosa, Egyptian acacia, Thorny acacia
Acacia nilotica (L.) Del.
Fabaceae
Gum acacia, Gum arabic tree, Sudan gum
Acacia senegal (L.) Willd.