Indigofera glabra, neela balli

 

Indigofera glabra L.
Family: Fabaceae

Synonyms: Indigofera fragrans Retz., Indigofera pentaphylla Murray    
Kannada: neela balli

Description: Annual diffuse herb; stems sparsely hairy all over, often reddish. Leaves alternate; odd-pinnate, leaflets 5, 0.5-1.5 × 0.3-1 cm, elliptic-obovate, base rounded, apex obtuse, appressed-pubescent on both surfaces.  Flowers 5-7 mm long, reddish on axillary, 2-5-flowered pedunculate lax racemes. Calyx pubescent; lobes setaceous. Corolla reddish; papilionoid, standard 5-7mm long, glabrous, base shortly clawed, apex emarginate; wings narrow, spur adnate to wings. Stamens 10, diadel­phous, only vexillary one free; anthers uniform. Ovary oblong, sessile, with many ovules; style linear; stigma capitate.  Pods 1.5-2 cm long, c. 1.5 mm diam., linear, subtetragonous, 8-12-seeded. Seeds 1 mm across, cubiform, yellowish with dark motlings.

Uses: Leaves febrifuge, emollient, bitter, tonic. [CRC World Dictionary of Medicinal and Poisonous Plants]