Botanical Name

Indigofera tinctoria L. [Fabaceae]

Specimen Type

Herbarium Sheet [Preserved Specimen]

Collector

Peter Thonning

Collection Date-s

1799 – 1803

Collection Location

southern part of the country [Ghana]

Colonial Context

Danish Gold Coast of Africa 1663–1857

Annotations Determinations and Type Specimen Status

On sheet: HB. SCHUM. 20. Indigofera ornithopodioides Collect: Guin: D. Thonn: Indigofera tinctoria L. J.L/1875

IDC microfiche foto: Isert et Thonning nr. 60 I 7 - II 1

Indigofera ornithopodioides Schumach. HOLOTYPE. Beskr. Guineiske Pl.: 372 (1827)

Ownership and Collection Management History

Thonning 20; ex herb. C. F. Schumacher

Common Names

true indigo [English]

Historical Cultural and Traditional Knowledge

[Hepper (1976) pp. 93-94:] "This species of lndigofera is the commonest of the known species in Guinea; it grows by every native dwelling which is at the seaside; whereas I have not found it in fields at some distance from the dwellings; not at all at Rio Volta; when I except some few plants which came from seeds which were ejected onto the soil. At Ningo and Quitta I found it in the greatest quantity and at the same time in the best growth; it seems to be partial to a sandy not all too hard soil; it can endure much drought for at the driest time of year when most plants fade this plant is still in good growth; it flowers nearly the whole year through but mostly after continuous rain; it is not much plagued with insects and is not eaten by domestic creatures. Although this species of Indigofera is the commonest and largest it is nevertheless nowhere present in sufficient quantity that it could sufficiently provide an indigo-factory without special cultivation. In order to find out how it will thrive in a rich and moist soil which is just the opposite of that in which it grows I had some seeds sown in the settlements at Dudna. I have not been able to discover if the natives know of any medicinal or economic use for this plant; I have not at all been able to find out its name as it nevertheless is a plant which grows at their dwellings; and the only use which is made of it at times is as a besom. Th."

Source

Herbarium C NHMD

NHMD Herbarium C Catalogue Number

C10004063

C10004063

Copyright Owner

Natural History Museum of Denmark

Copyright License

CC BY 4.0 (images) and CC0 (metadata)