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Tephrosia candida

Authority (Roxb.) DC. Family Magnoliopsida:Rosidae:Fabales:Leguminosae Synonyms Common names cot khi, hoang pea, requie'nie, white hoary pea, white tephrosia Editor Ecocrop code 2056

Notes
DESCRIPTION: It is a herb, shrub or small tree reaching a height of 1-3.5 m, with straggling branches from the base. USE: It is grown as a pasture plant, but cattle sometimes avoid it, perhaps because at least part of the plant is poisonous. Old stems can be used as fuel. The plants are also used for shade (in newly planted perennial crops such as citrus, coconut, coffee, rubber and tea, it is grown as a temporary shade crop), soil-improvement, reclamation, living fence, and as cover crop, green manure and as an ornamentals. It fixes large amounts of atmospheric nitrogen and is used in agroforestry systems. Powdered leaves are used as an insecticide and bark and roots are used as fish poison in India. GROWING PERIOD: Perennial. It can flower and fruit all year round. Plant last 3-7 years. Two cuttings can be made the first year, 3-4 the second, and 4 the third year. COMMON NAMES: White tephrosia. FURTHER INF: Scientific synonym: Cracca candida. White tephrosia is native of southeast Asia and India. Its habitat is primary and secondary forest, higher locations in sago-palm swamps and disturbed places such as roadsides, riverbanks, steep slopes and fields. It grows in the seasonally dry tropics and does not tolerate frost or waterlogging. Grown on sandy soils in coastal areas and on very poor, eroded upland soils and mine spoils where few other crops can grow. It tolerates a pH of 3.5-7, the more acidic soils seem to be more suitable. In the tropics, it can be grown up to 1650 m in elevation. Green manure yields may be about 15 t/ha.
Sources
SOURCES: (03.07.02) E2056 Duke J 1981 pp 230-232 [DRA, FER, LIG, KTMP, RAIN, TEMP, PH] Roecklein J 1987 pp 82 [USE] Duke J 1975 pp 29 [PH, RAIN, TEMP] ICRAF Agroforestree Database