Tephrosia
Encyclopedia
- For the moth genus, see EctropisEctropisEctropis is a genus in the geometer moth family . They are mostly paleotropical, but also plentiful in Australia and extend into Asia. Only one species – or cryptic species complex – is found in Europe...
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Tephrosia is a genus of flowering plant
Flowering plant
The flowering plants , also known as Angiospermae or Magnoliophyta, are the most diverse group of land plants. Angiosperms are seed-producing plants like the gymnosperms and can be distinguished from the gymnosperms by a series of synapomorphies...
s in the pea
Pea
A pea is most commonly the small spherical seed or the seed-pod of the pod fruit Pisum sativum. Each pod contains several peas. Peapods are botanically a fruit, since they contain seeds developed from the ovary of a flower. However, peas are considered to be a vegetable in cooking...
family, Fabaceae
Fabaceae
The Fabaceae or Leguminosae, commonly known as the legume, pea, or bean family, is a large and economically important family of flowering plants. The group is the third largest land plant family, behind only the Orchidaceae and Asteraceae, with 730 genera and over 19,400 species...
. The generic name is derived from the Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
word τεφρος (tephros), meaning "ash-colored," referring to the greyish tint given to the leaves by their dense trichome
Trichome
Trichomes are fine outgrowths or appendages on plants and certain protists. These are of diverse structure and function. Examples are hairs, glandular hairs, scales, and papillae.- Algal trichomes :...
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Uses
Many species in the genus are poisonous, particularly to fishPiscicide
A piscicide is a chemical substance which is poisonous to fish. The primary use for piscicides is to eliminate a dominant species of fish in a body of water, as the first step in attempting to populate the body of water with a different fish...
, for their high concentration of rotenone
Rotenone
Rotenone is an odorless chemical that is used as a broad-spectrum insecticide, piscicide, and pesticide. It occurs naturally in the roots and stems of several plants such as the jicama vine plant...
. Tephrosia species have historically been used by indigenous cultures as fish toxins
Fish toxins
Fish toxins or fish stupifying plants have historically been used by many hunter gatherer cultures to stun fish, so that the fish become easy to collect by hand. Some of these toxins paralyse fish, others work by reducing oxygen content in water...
. In the last century, several Tephrosia species have been studied in connection with the use of rotenone
Rotenone
Rotenone is an odorless chemical that is used as a broad-spectrum insecticide, piscicide, and pesticide. It occurs naturally in the roots and stems of several plants such as the jicama vine plant...
as an insecticide
Insecticide
An insecticide is a pesticide used against insects. They include ovicides and larvicides used against the eggs and larvae of insects respectively. Insecticides are used in agriculture, medicine, industry and the household. The use of insecticides is believed to be one of the major factors behind...
and pesticide
Pesticide
Pesticides are substances or mixture of substances intended for preventing, destroying, repelling or mitigating any pest.A pesticide may be a chemical unicycle, biological agent , antimicrobial, disinfectant or device used against any pest...
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Selected species
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Tephrosia odorata Tephrosia odorata is a species of legume in the Fabaceae family.It is found only in Yemen.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland.-References:* Miller, A. 2004. . Downloaded on 19 July 2007.... Balf.f. Tephrosia pondoensis Tephrosia pondoensis is a species of legume in the Fabaceae family.It is found only in South Africa.It is threatened by habitat loss.-Source:* Hilton-Taylor, C. et al. 1998. . Downloaded on 19 July 2007.... (Codd) Schrire Tephrosia purpurea Tephrosia purpurea is a species of flowering plant in the pea family, Fabaceae, that has a pantropical distribution. It is a common wasteland weed. In many parts it is under cultivation as green manure crop... (L.) Pers. Tephrosia rosea Tephrosia rosea, commonly known as Flinders River Poison, is a legume species, endemic to northern Australia. It is a shrub with an erect or sprawling habit, growing to between 0.2 and 2 metres high... F.Muell. ex Benth. Tephrosia socotrana Tephrosia socotrana is a species of legume in the Fabaceae family.It is found only in Yemen.Its natural habitat is rocky areas.-Source:* Miller, A. 2004. . Downloaded on 19 July 2007.... Thulin Tephrosia virginiana Tephrosia virginiana, also known as Goat's Rue, is a perennial dicot in Fabaceae. This subshrub has alternate compound leaves. All parts of the plant are pubescent giving it a silvery, hoary appearance. The terminal, compact racemes of cream and deep pink flowers bloom May to August. This plant... (L.) Pers. Tephrosia vogelii Tephrosia vogelii, the fish-poison-bean or Vogel tephrosia , tefrósia or barbasco guineano , is a flowering plant species in the genus Tephrosia.The two rotenoids deguelin and tephrosin can be found in T. vogelii.... Hook.f. |