''Tephrosia'' is a genus of
flowering plant
Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (). The term angiosperm is derived from the Ancient Greek, Greek words (; 'container, vessel') and (; 'seed'), meaning that the seeds are enclosed with ...
s in the family
Fabaceae
Fabaceae () or Leguminosae,[International Code of Nomen ...](_blank)
. It is widespread in both the Eastern and Western Hemisphere, where it is found in tropical and warm-temperate regions.
The generic name is derived from the
Greek word τεφρος (''tephros''), meaning "ash-colored," referring to the greyish tint given to the leaves by their dense
trichome
Trichomes (; ) are fine outgrowths or appendages on plants, algae, lichens, and certain protists. They are of diverse structure and function. Examples are hairs, glandular hairs, scales, and papillae. A covering of any kind of hair on a plant ...
s. Hoarypea is a common name for plants in this genus, along with goat's rue and devil's shoestring.
Uses
Many species in the genus are poisonous, particularly to
fish
A fish (: fish or fishes) is an aquatic animal, aquatic, Anamniotes, anamniotic, gill-bearing vertebrate animal with swimming fish fin, fins and craniate, a hard skull, but lacking limb (anatomy), limbs with digit (anatomy), digits. Fish can ...
, for their high concentration of
rotenone. The black seeds of ''Tephrosia'' species have historically been used by indigenous cultures as
fish toxins.
[Hugh Scott, ''In the High Yemen'', London 1942, p. 238, note C.][NTFlora Northern Territory Flora online:]
''Flora of the Darwin Region: Fabaceae.''
Retrieved 10 June 2018 In the last century, several ''Tephrosia'' species have been studied in connection with the use of
rotenone as an
insecticide
Insecticides are pesticides used to kill insects. They include ovicides and larvicides used against insect eggs and larvae, respectively. The major use of insecticides is in agriculture, but they are also used in home and garden settings, i ...
and
pesticide
Pesticides are substances that are used to control pests. They include herbicides, insecticides, nematicides, fungicides, and many others (see table). The most common of these are herbicides, which account for approximately 50% of all p ...
.
''
Tephrosia vogelii'' is also one of the many beneficial nitrogen-fixing legumes that can be used in a
permaculture forest gardening system as a source of living 'chop and drop' mulch.
Selected species
Species include:
*''
Tephrosia arenicola''
Maconochie
*''
Tephrosia candida
''Tephrosia candida'', the white hoarypea, is a perennial shrub, native to India, in the legume family. It has been introduced to Malesia, South America, Africa, South East Asia and Australia.
Etymology
The genus name, ''Tephrosia'', derives ...
''
(Roxb.) DC.
*''
Tephrosia chrysophylla''
Pursh
*''
Tephrosia clementii''
Skan
*''
Tephrosia elongata
''Tephrosia elongata'' is a plant native to Africa south of the equator. It occurs from northern and eastern South Africa to the highlands of Malawi and Tanzania.
Varieties
Three varieties are recognized:
* ''Tephrosia elongata'' E.Mey. var. '' ...
''
E.Mey.
*''
Tephrosia glomeruliflora''
Meissner
*''
Tephrosia mysteriosa''
DeLaney
*''
Tephrosia odorata''
Balf.f.
*''
Tephrosia onobrychoides''
Nutt.
*''
Tephrosia pondoensis''
(Codd) Schrire
*''
Tephrosia purpurea
''Tephrosia purpurea'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae. It grows in poor soils as a common wasteland weed and has a pantropical distribution. It is a type of legume native to south-western Asia (the Levant, Arabian Penins ...
''
(L.) Pers.
*''
Tephrosia socotrana
''Tephrosia socotrana'' is a species of plant in the family Fabaceae.
Distribution
The plant is endemic to the East African island of Socotra in the Red Sea, that is politically a territory within West Asian Yemen.
Its natural habitat is rocky ...
''
Thulin
*''
Tephrosia spinosa
''Tephrosia spinosa'' is a flowering plant species in the genus ''Tephrosia'' native from India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Indonesia
Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania, between the In ...
''
(L.f.) Pers.
*''
Tephrosia virginiana
''Tephrosia virginiana'', also known as goat-rue, goat's rue, catgut, rabbit pea, Virginia tephrosia, hoary pea, and devil's shoestring is a perennial dicot in family Fabaceae. The plant is native to central and eastern North America.
Descript ...
''
*''
Tephrosia vogelii''
Hook.f.
See also
*
Helena M. L. Forbes
References
External links
*
* l
Plantilustrations.org: ''Tephrosia''.(Botanical illustrations for ''Tephrosia'' species.)
*
*
{{Authority control
Fabaceae genera
Taxa named by Christiaan Hendrik Persoon
Taxonomy articles created by Polbot