Sesbania javanica
Miq.
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(c) vibudh, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
Description
A tall shrubby herb. It has a woody base. It grows 2-4 m tall. The leaves are compound. The leaves have leaflets along the stalk and one at the end. There are 10-30 pairs of leaflets. They are narrowly oblong and rounded at the ends. They are up to 2.5 cm long and 2-4 mm wide. There are 5-12 flowers in a group . These are 10 cm long. They are bright yellow with brown spots. They hang along stalks from the axils of leaves. The flowers are edible. The fruit is a straight pod that hangs down. It is 18-20 cm long by 4 mm wide. They are violet or brown. There are many seeds. They are round, shiny and 3 mm across.
Edible Uses
The flowers are eaten raw as a vegetable or fried as fritters after dipping in flour, and are sold in markets. The flowers also provide yellow coloring to desserts such as sticky rice balls. The young leaves and fruit are cooked and eaten, particularly in times of food scarcity.
Traditional Uses
The flowers are eaten. They can be eaten raw as a vegetable or dipped into flour then fried as fritters. The young leaves and fruit are cooked and eaten in times of food scarcity. The flowers give a yellow colouring to desserts such as sticky rice balls.
Medicinal Uses
The leaves are used medicinally. No more information. In ancient Thai traditional medicine, the plant (the report is probably referring to the flowers) was used as an antiinflammatory for treating insect bites, detoxicification, intestinal abscess healing, stomach discomfort and to relieve internal fever and thirst.
Distribution
A tropical plant. It is a marsh plant. It grows in swampy places.
Where It Grows
Andamans, Asia, Cambodia, China, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, SE Asia, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam,
Cultivation
This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby.
Propagation
Seed - it has a hard seedcoat and may benefit from scarification before sowing to speed up germination. This can usually be done by pouring a small amount of nearly boiling water on the seeds (being careful not to cook them!) and then soaking them for 12 - 24 hours in warm water. By this time they should have imbibed moisture and swollen - if they have not, then carefully make a nick in the seedcoat (being careful not to damage the embryo) and soak for a further 12 hours before sowing. Cuttings.
Other Uses
The plant is sometimes grown as a green manure and living fence, especially in wetter soils. The plant is used as a windbreak, live fence, living support for pepper plants and to provide shade in tea and coffee plantations.
Other Information
The flowers are sold in markets.
Nutrition
| Part | Moisture | kJ | kcal | Protein | Vit A | Vit C | Iron | Zinc |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leaves | 86 | — | 45 | 3.6 | — | — | 8.2 | — |
Synonyms
Also Known As
Diendien phao, Dienthanh hat-tron, Kareejeenangi, Kathsola, Sa-no, Sano kin dak, Snao, Snov
References (15)
- Ambasta, S.P. (Ed.), 2000, The Useful Plants of India. CSIR India. p 569 (As Sesbania roxburghii)
- Burkill, I.H., 1966, A Dictionary of the Economic Products of the Malay Peninsula. Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Vol 2 (I-Z) p 2033 (As Sesbania roxburghii)
- Cengel, D. J. & Dany, C., (Eds), 2016, Integrating Forest Biodiversity Resource Management and Sustainable Community Livelihood Development in the Preah Vihear Protected Forest. International Tropical Timber Organization p 123
- Food Composition Tables for use in East Asia FAO http://www.fao.org/infoods/directory No. 733 (As Sesbania roxburghii)
- Fl. Ned. Ind. 1(1):288. 1855
Show all 15 references Hide references
- Jacquat, C., 1990, Plants from the Markets of Thailand. D.K. Book House p 51
- Japanese International Research Centre for Agricultural Science www.jircas.affrc.go.jp/project/value_addition/Vegetables
- Martin, F.W. & Ruberte, R.M., 1979, Edible Leaves of the Tropics. Antillian College Press, Mayaguez, Puerto Rico. p 200 (As Sesbania roxburghii)
- McMakin, P.D., 2000, Flowering Plants of Thailand. A Field Guide. White Lotus. p 83 (As Sesbania roxburghii)
- Nakahara, K. et al, 2002, Antimutagenicity of Some Edible Thai Plants, and a Bioactive Carbazole Alkaloid, Mahanine, Isolated from Micromelum minutum. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 50: 4796-4892
- Philipp. J. Sci., C 4:269. 1909 (As Sesbania roxburghii)
- Phon, P., 2000, Plants used in Cambodia. © Pauline Dy Phon, Phnom Penh, Cambodia. p 556
- Tanaka, Y & Van Ke, N., 2007, Edible Wild Plants of Vietnam. Orchid Press. p 82
- Terra, G.J.A., 1973, Tropical Vegetables. Communication 54e Royal Tropical Institute, Amsterdam, p 73 (As Sesbania roxburghii)
- World Checklist of Useful Plant Species 2020. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
