HerbWildAnnualMedicinal

Indigofera linifolia (L.f.) Retz.

Narrow leaf indigo

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Description

Indigofera linifolia is a small annual or perennial herb, usually 20–60 cm tall, with an erect or spreading growth habit. Stems are slender, branched, and covered with fine hairs. Leaves are imparipinnate, alternate, and composed of numerous narrow linear leaflets arranged along the rachis. Leaflets are small, elongated, grey-green, and often silky hairy. Flowers are bisexual, papilionaceous, pink to reddish-purple, and arranged in short axillary racemes. The corolla consists of a large standard petal, two wings, and a keel. Fruits are slender cylindrical pods, usually straight or slightly curved, containing several small seeds.

Diagnostic Characters

Vegetative

Small herbaceous legume. Narrow linear leaflets. Hairy stems.

Floral

Pink-purple pea flowers. Short racemes.

Fruit & Seed

Thin cylindrical pods.

Distribution

Native range: Native to South Asia, Tropical regions of Asia.

In Pakistan: Found in Pakistan, India, Bangladesh. In Pakistan occurs in Dry plains, Sandy habitats.

Phenology

Flowering

Fruiting

Flowering: March–October Fruiting: Summer–autumn

Ethnobotany & Uses

Medicinal Importance

Traditional uses include Skin disorders, Inflammation, Digestive problems. Contains Flavonoids, Alkaloids, Phenolic compounds.

Ecological Importance

Nitrogen-fixing herb. Improves soil fertility. Provides forage resources.

UniFlora AI Assistant

Ask about Narrow leaf indigo

Hello! I'm UniFlora AI. Ask me anything about Narrow leaf indigo (*Indigofera linifolia*) — identification tips, flowering season, uses, campus locations, or taxonomy.

Where it grows on campus

This species is on the campus floristic list but was not pinned during the GPS mapping survey, so it has no map records yet.

Taxonomic Notes

The genus Indigofera contains many species known historically for indigo dye production. I. linifolia is distinguished by Narrow linear leaflets, Small pink flowers, Slender pods, UniFlora Field Recognition Tip 🌿. Look for 🌱 Small herb, 🍃 Very narrow leaflets.