Sun hemp
Sun hemp
Scientific name: Crotolaria juncea L.
English names: Not known
Local names: Shonpat, Shon, Ghati
Taxonomic Position According to Cronquist (1981)
| Kingdom | : Plantae |
| Division | : Magnoliophyta |
| Class | :Magnoliopsida |
| Subclass | : Rosidae |
| Order | : Fabales |
| Family | : Fabacaeae |
| Genus | : Crotolaria |
| Species | : C. juncea |
Botanical Description of Sun Hemp
Habit: An erect annual herb.
Root: Tap root system
Stem: Pubescent.
Leaf: simple, sub-sessile.
Inflorescence: Raceme
Flower: zygomorphic, complete, hermaphrodite and paplinaceous.
Calyx: sepal 5, gamosepalous
Corolla: Bright yellow in color, papilinaceous composed three types of petal viz. standard, wing and keel, aestivation vexillary.
Androecium: Stamen 10, monadelphous.
Gynoecium: Carpel one, ovary superior, placentation marginal.
Fruit: apod, linear oblong
Seed: exalbuminous.
Chromosome number: 2n=22, 44, 66 (Bir and Kumari, 1980)
Economic Importance: Cultivated for fibre, ground-cover and green manure. The leaves are emetic, laxative, abortifacient and analgesic. Flowers are used to cure leucorrhoea. Seeds are emmenagogue and good for skin diseases.