Indigofera suffruticosa
| Añil | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Rosids |
| Order: | Fabales |
| Family: | Fabaceae |
| Genus: | Indigofera |
| Species: | I. suffruticosa |
| Binomial name | |
| Indigofera suffruticosa Mill., 1768 | |
| Synonyms | |
Indigofera suffruticosa, commonly known as Guatemalan indigo, small-leaved indigo (Sierra Leone), West Indian indigo, wild indigo, and añil, [2] is a flowering plant in the pea family, Fabaceae. In Hawaiian, it is known as either ʻinikō/inikoa, or kolū; in Fijian it is called vaivai, the Samoans call it laʻau mageso, on Guam it is called aniles, and in Tonga it is referred to as ʻakauveli (itchy plant).
Añil is native to the subtropical and tropical Americas, including the southern United States, the Caribbean, Mexico, Central America, and South America as far south as northern Argentina. This species has been widely introduced to other parts of the world and today has a pantropical distribution.[1] It is an erect branching shrub growing to 1 m (3.3 ft) tall with pinnate leaves, and is commonly found growing in dry, highly disturbed areas such as roadsides and fallow fields.
Añil is commonly used as a source for indigo dye, and if mixed with certain clays, can produce Maya blue, a pigment used by the Mesoamerican civilizations.
References
- 1 2 "Indigofera suffruticosa Mill.". Germplasm Information Resources Network. United States Department of Agriculture. 2004-09-17. Retrieved 2009-10-26.
- ↑ http://www.plantnames.unimelb.edu.au/Sorting/Indigofera.html