WorldFloraDB - Parochetus communis

Characteristics

Stems almost glabrous to sparsely pilose, rooting at nodes. Lvs sparsely to moderately hairy on petiole and undersurface of leaflets, almost glabrous above; petioles c. 30-140 mm long; leaflets broadly obovate-cuneate, obtuse to emarginate, entire, often with light and dark markings, c. 10-25 mm long; petiolules ± equal, < 1 mm long; stipules ovate, acute, entire. Peduncles usually almost glabrous, ± = or > petioles. Infl. 1-2-flowered. Calyx ± glabrous or sparsely hairy, somewhat gibbous at base; calyx teeth unequal; lower teeth longer. Corolla usually cobalt-blue, rarely white or blue and white, c. 18-22 mm long. Pod glabrous, 18-25 mm long; seeds mottled, c. 2 mm long.

More

Stems prostrate to ascending, 10-20 cm, tubers lacking. Stipules 4-5 mm, membranous, entire, free; petiole 8-15 cm, slender, pubescent; petiolule less than 1 mm; leaflets 8-20 × 10-20 mm, lateral veins 4 or 5 pairs, base narrowly cuneate, margins entire or minutely serrate. Inflorescence umbellate; peduncle longer than or equal to petiole; pedicels 5-10 mm; flowers 1-3. Calyx 6-9 mm, pubescent. Corolla blue or purple, rarely white or pink, ca. 20 mm; standard 1.4-2 cm, claw 3-5 mm; wings falcate-oblong, auricle 2-4 mm; keel abruptly inflexed, acute. Legume linear-ovate, 20-25 × 3-4 mm. Seeds 8-12, ca. 2 × 1 mm. Fl. and fr. Apr-Nov.

A creeping herb. It forms a ground cover. It grows 10 cm high and spreads 30 cm wide. It loses its leaves during the year. The leaflets are closely flattened. They are clover-like and divided into 3 leaflets. The leaves are 12 mm long. They are hairy underneath. The flowers are deep blue and like pea flowers. They are 12-25 mm wide. They occur singly or in pairs. The pods are 2.5 cm long.

Life form

perennial

Growth form

herb

Growth support

-

Foliage retention

Sexuality

hermaphrodite

Pollination

-

Spread

-

Mature width (meter)

0.5 - 1.0

Mature height (meter)

0.8

Root system

-

Rooting depth (meter)

-

Root diameter (meter)

-

Flower color

Blooming months

Jan	Feb	Mar
Apr	May	Jun
Jul	Aug	Sep
Oct	Nov	Dec

Fruit color

-

Fruiting months

Jan	Feb	Mar
Apr	May	Jun
Jul	Aug	Sep
Oct	Nov	Dec

Nitrogen fixer

rhizobia

Photosynthetic pathway

-

Environment

A tropical and subtropical plant. It grows naturally in mountains in Africa and Asia. It does best in moist, humus-rich soil. It can grow in sun or part shade. It can only tolerate light frost. In southern China it grows on the edges of woodlands and in grassland between 1,800-3,000 m above sea level. It suits hardiness zones 9-11. In Sichuan and Yunnan.

Light
Soil humidity
Soil texture	-
Soil acidity
Soil nutriment	-
Hardiness (USDA)

Usage

The roots are boiled and eaten. The flowers are used as a potherb in stir fries.

Uses	experimental purposes medicinal ornamental potherb
Edible	flowers leaves roots
Therapeutic use	-
Human toxicity	-
Animal toxicity	-

Cultivation

It can be grown by seed or by division of the plant.

Mode	divisions
Germination duration (days)	30 - 90
Germination temperacture (C°)	10
Germination luminosity	-
Germination treatment	soaking
Minimum temperature (C°)	-
Optimum temperature (C°)	-
Size	-
Vigor	-
Productivity	-