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Aeschynomene indica
Also called Kat Sola, Indian Joint Vetch, Jointvetch, Budda Pea, Curly Indigo, Hard Sola, Northern Joint Vetch
Indian jointvetch (Aeschynomene indica) is a legume that is an annual or short-lived perennial herb or subshrub, 30 cm to 2.5 m tall, often found in wet, muddy ground such as paddy fields and swamps. It grows best in warm, moist conditions and is often a weed of disturbed ground.
Aeschynomene indica is a species of flowering plant in the legume family. Common names include Indian jointvetch, kat sola, budda pea, curly indigo, hard sola, northern jointvetch, indische Schampflanze (German), angiquinho, maricazinho, papquinha, pinheirinho (Brazilian Portuguese), he meng (Chinese), kusanemu (Japanese), diya siyambala (Sinhala), and ikin sihk (Pohnpeian).
The true native range of this species is unclear because it is thought to have been introduced so widely, but it probably includes parts of Africa, Asia, Australia, and the southeastern North America. It is likely a naturalized species on many islands of the Pacific, the Caribbean, and the Indian Ocean, including Fiji, the Society Islands, Micronesia, Puerto Rico, Mauritius, and Réunion. It is also introduced in South America.
The plant often grows in wet, muddy habitat, such as floodplains, swamps, and paddy fields. It is also known from dry land. It has been observed in association with Sesbania spp. and Acacia nilotica ssp. tomentosa. It grows in disturbed habitat, such as roadside ditches, often becoming weedy.
This plant is used as green manure. It is not very palatable to animals but it is sometimes given as fodder. It can be toxic, however. The seeds can poison pigs, causing loss of coordination, falls, and death. Examination of the brain tissue of affected animals revealed swelling and hemorrhage.
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Aeschynomene indica by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
