Desmodium gangeticum

• Botanical Name : Desmodium gangeticum (L.) DC
• Common Name : Salwan, Sal Leaved Desmodium
• Plant Family : Papilionaceae
• Plant Form : Herb
• Occurrence (Sectors) : 5, 13-15, 17, 20, 21, 29
• Occurrence (Special Areas) : Indroda Park, Ayurvedic Udyan, Van Chetana Kendra, Basan

About Desmodium gangeticum Plant :

• Habit : A stout herb with angled, more or less hairy stems.
• Leaves : Unifoliate, stipules scarious, leaflets membranous, ovate-oblong or broadly ovate, acute or acuminate, rounded at the base.
• Inflorescence : Racemes
• Flower :
  • Flowers in large terminal and axillary racemes, usually in small fascicles on a slender rachis, bracts subulate.
  • Calyx hairy, corolla purple, violet, blue, lilac or white, these colours appearing at the same time on the same plant.
• Fruit : Pods slightly falcate, joints 6-8, longer than broad, slightly hairy with minute hooked hairs.
• Flowering and Fruiting Time : March-August
• Significance :
  • The root is used as a substitute for liquorice.
  • It is also used as a febrifuge.