Larval Host Plant
Other notes
Natural History: Native Perennial Herb.
It is a perennial trailing herb found in tropical Asia to Australia. Leaves are simple, linear-lanceolate, and velvety. Its pea-like flowers are bright red, emerging in axillary loose clusters. The fruits are round, velvety pods containing a single, smooth, brown-black seed (eFlora of India 2024; Flowers of India 2024; POWO 2024; WFO 2024).
Vernacular Names: Assamese: Neel gosh (নীল গছ); Bengali: Bhangra (ভাঙড়া); Gujarati: Jhinaki gali (ઝીણકી ગળી), Nani gali (નાની ગળી); Hindi: Bhangra (भंगरा), Bhurbhura (भुरभुरा), Pandarphali (पाण्डरफली), Ratanjot (रतनजोत), Ratnamala (रत्नमाला), Torki (तोर्की); Kannada: Ganjikasa (ಗಂಜಿಕಸ); Konkani: Torki (तोर्की); Marathi: Barbada (बरबाडा), Lal godhadi (लाल गोधडी), Pandharphali (पांढरफळी), Torki (तोर्की); Punjabi: Torki (ਤੋਰਕੀ); Rajasthani: Lambio bekario (लांबीयौ बेकरियौ) (Flowers of India 2024).
Ethnobotany: The seeds are ground into flour, either alone or mixed with cereals like millet, and consumed as bread during famines (Flowers of India, 2024).
References:
eFlora of India (2024): Indigofera linifolia. Accessed on 06 Mar 2024. URL: https://efloraofindia.com/2011/03/07/indigofera-linifolia/.
Flowers of India (2024): Narrowleaf Indigo. Accessed on 06 Mar 2024. URL: http://www.flowersofindia.net/catalog/slides/Narrowleaf%20Indigo.html.
POWO (2024): Indigofera linifolia (L.f.) Retz. Accessed on 06 Mar 2024. URL: https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/499578-1.
WFO (2024): Indigofera linifolia (L.f.) Retz. Accessed on 06 Mar 2024. URL: http://www.worldfloraonline.org/taxon/wfo-0000193193.
Page citation
Churi, P., and N. Kawthankar. 2025. Indigofera linifolia (L.f.) Retz. – Narrowleaf Indigo. In Kunte, K., S. Sondhi, and P. Roy (Chief Editors). Butterflies of India, v. 4.12. Published by the Indian Foundation for Butterflies. URL: https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/indigofera-linifolia, accessed 2025/05/21.