Crotalaria juncea

Crotalaria juncea
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Subfamily: Faboideae
Genus: Crotalaria
Species:
C. juncea
Binomial name
Crotalaria juncea
Synonyms[1]
  • Crotalaria benghalensis Lam. (1786)
  • Crotalaria cannabinua Royle (1834)
  • Crotalaria fenestrata Sims (1817)
  • Crotalaria juncea var. bengalensis (Lam.) Kuntze (1891)
  • Crotalaria juncea var. puncticulata DC. (1825)
  • Crotalaria kanchiana Gholave, Mane, Gore, Kambale & S.P.Gaikwad (2019)
  • Crotalaria porrecta Wall. (1831), nom. nud.
  • Crotalaria sericea Willd. (1800), nom. illeg.
  • Crotalaria tenuifolia Roxb. (1819)
  • Isotropis argentea Ewart & Morrison (1913)

Crotalaria juncea, known as brown hemp, Indian hemp, Madras hemp, or sunn hemp,[2][3] is a tropical Asian plant of the legume family (Fabaceae). It is generally considered to have originated in India.[2]

It is now widely grown throughout the tropics and subtropics[2] as a source of green manure, fodder and lignified fiber obtained from its stem. Sunn hemp is also being looked at as a possible bio-fuel.[4] It can be an invasive weed and has been listed as a noxious weed in some jurisdictions.[3]

It bears yellow flowers and elongate, alternate leaves.[5]

  1. ^ Crotalaria juncea L. Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  2. ^ a b c Heuzé V., Thiollet H., Tran G., Lebas F., 2018. Sunn hemp (Crotalaria juncea). Feedipedia, a programme by INRA, CIRAD, AFZ and FAO. https://www.feedipedia.org/node/313
  3. ^ a b Sheahan, C.M. (2012), USDA Plant Guide for sunn hemp (Crotalaria juncea)
  4. ^ Perry, A. Sunn Hemp Shows Promise as Biofuel Source. USDA ARS News. January 3, 2012.
  5. ^ Crotalaria juncea. USDA NRCS Plant Guide.