Wild hops
StarFlemingia strobilifera
Synonyms: Hedysarum strobiliferum, Flemingia affinis, Zornia strobilifera, Hedysarum celtifolium, Maughania strobilifera f. rubriflora, Maughania strobilifera
Western Herbalism Properties
Traditional Uses
Flemingia strobilifera is used both in Ayurveda and in Asian folk medicine. Ayurvedic tradition, citing texts such as the Bhaishajya Ratnavali, employs the leaves and roots as a tonic for the nervous system. Across the Indian subcontinent the plant is used to treat epilepsy, hysteria and fever, and the roots are taken by the Santal people for epilepsy, insomnia and hysteria and to relieve pain; root decoctions have also been used for menstrual and menopausal complaints (Ayurvedic and ethnobotanical reviews; StuartXchange).
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Botanical Description
Flemingia strobilifera, known as wild hops or the luck plant, is a sprawling shrub of the legume family (Fabaceae) native to tropical and subtropical Asia, from the Indian subcontinent through southern China to South-East Asia, and naturalised more widely. It grows 1 to 2 metres tall, sometimes scrambling on supports, with slender, finely hairy branches. The leaves are simple (unifoliolate), ovate to elliptic, 5 to 15 centimetres long, with prominent veins and a softly hairy undersurface. The most distinctive feature is the inflorescence: the small pinkish to greenish-white pea-like flowers are concealed within conspicuous, papery, leaf-like bracts (bracteoles) that are folded and overlap to form pendulous, cone- or hop-like structures, giving the plant its common name. These persistent strobiloid bracts enclose the developing pods, which are small, inflated and contain one or two seeds. It is a common plant of forest margins, scrub, grassland and disturbed ground, and is sometimes cultivated as a host for lac insects.
This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using any herbal remedy, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking medications.
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