''Indigofera australis'', the Australian indigo or Austral indigo, is an attractive species of leguminous shrub in the

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

'' Indigofera'' (family Fabaceae). The genus name ''Indigofera'' is Neo-Latin for "bearing Indigo" ( Indigo is a purple dye originally obtained from some ''Indigofera'' species). The specific epithet ''australis'', from the Latin, means not “Australian” but "southern", referring to the geographical distribution of the species.

Description

Its natural habit is upright, to 2 m (7 ft) high, with flexible stems. The leaves are pinnate, openly spaced on the stems, around 10 cm long and velvety smooth to the touch. The flower color is unusual, ranging through soft purple hues, often pinkish and a change from other species flowering at the same time. The flowers are smooth, in short spires in the leaf axils, freely produced and showy, outlining the curves of the stems. They may open at any time from July and may continue till November in a cool spring. It can regrow and sucker from rootstocks and lateral roots after fire.

Distribution

A very common and widespread species in Australia, ''Indigofera australis'' grows in a variety of different habitats, mainly open woodland and eucalypt forest, but also in desert and in the margins of

rainforest Rainforests are forests characterized by a closed and continuous tree Canopy (biology), canopy, moisture-dependent vegetation, the presence of epiphytes and lianas and the absence of wildfire. Rainforests can be generally classified as tropi ...

. It is widespread in southern Australia from the southeastern

Western Australia Western Australia (WA) is the westernmost state of Australia. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east, and South Australia to the south-east. Western Aust ...

to northeastern

Queensland Queensland ( , commonly abbreviated as Qld) is a States and territories of Australia, state in northeastern Australia, and is the second-largest and third-most populous state in Australia. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Austr ...

Habitat value

It is an excellent habitat plant for wildlife. Like many plants in the pea family, ''Indigofera australis'' is nitrogen fixing. The flowers are a pollen and nectar source for many native insects, including bees and wasps. The plant is a useful food plant for butterfly larvae (caterpillars): * '' Freyeria trochylus'' – "Grass Jewel" * '' Eurema hecabe'' – "Common Grass Yellow" * '' Lampides boeticus'' – "Long-tailed Pea Blue" * '' Zizina labradus'' – "Common Grass-blue"

Uses

The attractive flowers, and the plants adaptability to grow in different situations make it suitable as an ornamental plant in Australia. However, it may become invasive. First Nations Australians are said to crush the leaves and added these to water to kill or stun fish and eels. The leaves and stems produce yellow-fawn dye with alum as mordant. Zizina labradus-Butterfly-on-Rose SC,-EG-Vic,-23.2.2008.jpg , Common Grass Blue butterfly Indigofera australis Eastwood.jpg, Australian indigo growing at Eastwood, New South Wales

References

External links

Indigofera australis
on Plant Net (retrieved September 18, 2009)

{{Taxonbar, from=Q6024831 australis Flora of New South Wales Flora of Queensland Flora of South Australia Flora of Tasmania Flora of Victoria (state) Flora of Western Australia Garden plants Drought-tolerant plants