e-Flora of Thailand
Volume 4 > Part 3.3 > Year 2023 > Page 500 > Leguminosae-Papilionoideae > Cajanus
1. Cajanus cajan (L.) Huthwfo-0000203743
Helios 11: 133. 1893; R.Sha & M.G.Gilbert in C.Y.Wu et al., Fl. China 10: 231. 2010.— Cytisus cajan L., Sp. Pl. 2: 739. 1753.— Cajanus flavus DC., Cat. Pl. Horti Monsp.: 86. 1813 & Prodr. 2: 406. 1825.— C. indicus Spreng., Syst. Veg., ed. 16, 3: 248. 1826, nom. illeg.; Miq., Fl. Ned. Ind. 1(2): 174. 1855; Benth., Fl. Hong Kong: 89. 1861; Baker in Hook.f., Fl. Brit. India 2(4): 217. 1876; Kurz, Forest Fl. Burma 1: 377. 1877; Prain in King, J. Asiat. Soc. Bengal, Pt. 2, Nat. Hist. 66(1): 47. 1897; Gagnep. in Lecomte, Fl. Indo-Chine 2(3): 278. 1916; Ridl., Fl. Malay Penins. 1: 615. 1922; Craib, Fl. Siam. 1(3): 461. 1928.
Accepted Name : This is currently accepted.
Synonyms & Citations :
Description : Shrub 1–5 m tall; branches woody, densely to moderately grey pubescent. Stipules triangular or ovate-lanceolate, 2–6 by 1.5–2 mm long, outside pubescent, inside glabrous, persistent. Leaves: petioles 1–8 cm long, densely grey pubescent; rachis 0.5–3 cm long. Leaflets: terminal leaflet elliptic to lanceolate, subcoriaceous or chartaceous, 4–14 by 1.4–8 cm, apex acuminate or acute, base cuneate, margin entire, upper surface sparsely pubescent, lower surface greyish green to silvery, densely grey pubescent, with sessile glands; lateral leaflets obliquely elliptic or lanceolate, 2.8–13 by 0.5–7.5 cm, apex acuminate or acute, base obliquely cuneate, other details similar to terminal leaflet; lateral veins 5–7 pairs; petiolules 1–5 mm long, grey pubescent; stipels narrowly setaceous, 1–4 mm long, persistent. Inflorescences terminal or axillary, 3–15 cm long; peduncles 2–8 cm long, densely villous; bracts ovate to broadly triangular, 1–4 by 1–3 cm long; pedicels 0.3–1.5 cm long, densely grey pubescent. Calyx greenish brown, 6–10 mm long; tube 3–6 mm long; upper lobe entirely connate; lobes lanceolate or triangular, 3–4 by 1.5–2 mm; sparsely pubescent, outside with sessile glands; inside grey pubescent. Corolla yellow or orangish yellow, with red lines on dorsal face of standard, glabrous; standard obovate-orbicular or suborbicular, 1–1.6 by 1–1.7 cm, apex emarginate, claw 3–4 mm long, blade biauriculate, with 2 callosities; wings irregularly oblong-obovate or obovate, 1–1.4 by 0.3–0.7 cm, apex obtuse, claw 2.5–4 mm long, blade unequally biauriculate; keel obliquely oblong-obovate, 0.9–1.2 by 0.3–0.6 cm, incurved, apex obtuse, claw 4.5–6 mm long, blade without auricle. Stamens: staminal tube 9–14 mm long; free part of filaments 4–7 mm long; anthers elliptic, 0.5–1.5 mm long. Ovary stipitate, linear-oblong, 4–8 mm, densely pubescent, with sessile glands; style 9–12 mm long, lower part pubescent, upper part glabrous; stipe ca 0.5 mm long. Pods oblong to linear-oblong, 3–13 by 0.4–1.7 cm, dark brown to black, laterally compressed, densely greyish pubescent, with sessile glands. Seeds 2–9, subglobose to globose or reniform, 3–9 by 3–9 mm, creamy white or brown to black; strophiole absent.
Thailand : Cultivated throughout the country.
Distribution : Native to India and Sri Lanka (type); widely cultivated in tropics and subtropics.
Ecology : Widely cultivated, sometimes spreading to roadsides and open or disturbed areas; 0–1,500 m alt. Flowering and fruiting throughout the year.
Vernacular : Thua mae tai (ถั่วแม่ตาย), thua rae (ถั่วแระ)(Central); thua raet (ถั่วแรด)(Chumphon); ma hae (มะแฮะ), ma hae ton (มะแฮะต้น)(Northern).
CommonName : Angola pea, Congo pea, Pigeon pea.
Uses: Ornamental, food plants and green manure.