Record Number
1440
PROSEA Handbook Number
3: Dye and tannin-producing plants
Taxon
Lonchocarpus cyanescens (Schum. & Thonn.) Benth.
Family
LEGUMINOSAE
Vernacular Names
Yoruba indigo, West African indigo (En).
Distribution
West Africa; also cultivated there. Introduced in Peninsular Malaysia.
Uses
From leaves and young twigs, and sometimes also fruits, a dark dye is prepared which is used in West Africa to dye cloth, leather, matting and hair. The plant is also used in traditional medicine.
Observations
A woody climbing or straggling shrub, in cultivation a shrub about 2.5 m tall, having pinnately compound leaves and large panicles of reddish flowers turning blue. Just like the 'true' indigo (Indigofera spp.), yoruba indigo contains indican which can be hydrolized and oxidized to indigo-blue of good quality. It is reported to grow well in Malaysia.
Selected Sources
[12] Burkill, I.H., 1966. A dictionary of the economic products of the Malay Peninsula. 2nd ed. 2 Volumes. Ministry of Agriculture and Co-operatives, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. 2444 pp.
[15] Dalziel, J.M., 1936. The useful plants of West Tropical Africa. Crown Agents for Oversea Governments and Administrations, London, Great Britain. 612 pp.
[26] Hutchinson, J. & Dalziel, J.M., 1954–1972. Flora of West Tropical Africa. 2nd ed., edited by Keay, R.W.J. & Hepper, F.N. 3 Volumes. The Crown Agents for the Colonies, London.
[31] Mansfeld, R. & Schultze-Motel, J., 1986. Verzeichnis landwirtschaftlicher und gärtnerischer Kulturpflanzen. 2nd ed. 4 Volumes. Springer Verlag, Berlin. 1998 pp.
[40] Oei, L. (Editor), 1985. Indigo, leven in een kleur [Indigo, life in a colour] . Stichting Indigo, Amsterdam, the Netherlands. 223 pp.
[49] von Wiesner, J., Krais, P. & von Brehmer, W. (Editors), 1927. Die Rohstoffe des Pflanzenreichs. 4th ed. Band 1: Alkaloide bis Hefen. Verlag von Wilhelm Engelmann, Leipzig. 1122 pp.
[15] Dalziel, J.M., 1936. The useful plants of West Tropical Africa. Crown Agents for Oversea Governments and Administrations, London, Great Britain. 612 pp.
[26] Hutchinson, J. & Dalziel, J.M., 1954–1972. Flora of West Tropical Africa. 2nd ed., edited by Keay, R.W.J. & Hepper, F.N. 3 Volumes. The Crown Agents for the Colonies, London.
[31] Mansfeld, R. & Schultze-Motel, J., 1986. Verzeichnis landwirtschaftlicher und gärtnerischer Kulturpflanzen. 2nd ed. 4 Volumes. Springer Verlag, Berlin. 1998 pp.
[40] Oei, L. (Editor), 1985. Indigo, leven in een kleur [Indigo, life in a colour] . Stichting Indigo, Amsterdam, the Netherlands. 223 pp.
[49] von Wiesner, J., Krais, P. & von Brehmer, W. (Editors), 1927. Die Rohstoffe des Pflanzenreichs. 4th ed. Band 1: Alkaloide bis Hefen. Verlag von Wilhelm Engelmann, Leipzig. 1122 pp.
Author(s)
J. Jukema, N. Wulijarni-Soetjipto, R.H.M.J. Lemmens & J.W. Hildebrand
Correct Citation of this Article
Jukema, J., Wulijarni-Soetjipto, N., Lemmens, R.H.M.J. & Hildebrand, J.W., 1991. Lonchocarpus cyanescens (Schum. & Thonn.) Benth.. In: Lemmens, R.H.M.J. and Wulijarni-Soetjipto, N. (Editors): Plant Resources of South-East Asia No 3: Dye and tannin-producing plants. PROSEA Foundation, Bogor, Indonesia. Database record: prota4u.org/prosea
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