Indigofera hirsuta

(Hairy Indigo)

Description

An annual plant, erect to 1.5 m tall but usually less, often spreading. Stems usually reddish and densely covered in hairs, varying from rusty brown to whitish. Leaves with 5-11 leaflets, lateral leaflets opposite one another, covered in 2-armed or branched hairs. Flowers in a dense raceme to 30 cm long; corolla pink to reddish, standard to 5 mm long, Pods to 2 cm long, straight to somewhat curved, reflexed on axis, squarish in cross-section, covered in hairs; seeds 6-9. This plant has been used as a source of indigo dye.