Sonoran indigo

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Sonoran indigo

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Anil sphaerocarpa
• Amorpha ovalis

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. Within the subclass Magnoliidae, it is situated in the order Fabales and the family Fabaceae. Ultimately, its scientific classification concludes within the genus Indigofera.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a specific distribution across the arid regions of North America. In the Southwestern United States, it is documented within the state of Arizona. Its range extends into the South-Central United States, specifically covering parts of New Mexico. Moving south into Mexico, the species is found throughout the Northeast region of the country. Additionally, the plant is distributed across the Northwest portion of Mexico.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Life history

The life history of Indigofera sphaerocarpa is characterized by its classification as a perennial species, meaning it lives for more than two years and maintains a continuous presence in its natural habitat. Throughout its life cycle, the plant undergoes various developmental stages, beginning with seed germination that leads to the establishment of a robust root system capable of supporting long-term growth. As a perennial, it possesses the capacity for vegetative regrowth and can endure seasonal variations, often producing flowering structures that facilitate sexual reproduction through seed production. This prolonged lifespan allows the plant to establish dominance within its ecological niche, contributing to the stability of its local environment through repeated cycles of growth, flowering, and senescence.

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Indigofera sphaerocarpa is characterized by a growth form primarily classified as a shrub or subshrub, exhibiting a woody structure. This plant is non-parasitic, functioning as an independent organism, and is distinctly terrestrial in its habitat, lacking aquatic or epiphytic tendencies. Structurally, it is a self-supporting plant rather than a liana, vine, or climbing species, maintaining its upright posture through its woody stems without the need for external support or obligatory climbing mechanisms.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

shrub

Parasite :

independent

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Indigofera sphaerocarpa is characterized by its metabolic processes, most notably its reliance on a C3 photosynthetic pathway. As a C3 plant, its carbon fixation occurs primarily through the enzyme RuBisCO, which reacts atmospheric carbon dioxide with ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate to produce 3-phosphoglycerate during the Calvin cycle. This pathway dictates the plant's water-use efficiency and its physiological adaptation to its specific environmental niche, as it lacks the specialized carbon-concentrating mechanisms found in C4 or CAM species. Consequently, its gas exchange and photosynthetic rate are closely regulated by stomatal conductance and temperature, influencing how the plant manages transpiration and light interception to support its overall growth and secondary metabolite production.

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Indigofera sphaerocarpa is characterized by the production of small, specialized seeds that play a critical role in its life cycle and dispersal. Based on morphological data, the seeds produced by this species exhibit a highly uniform mass, with a recorded mean seed mass of 0.004 g. This consistency is reflected in the lack of variance within the observed population, as both the maximum and minimum seed mass values are strictly recorded at 0.004 g. Such precise and lightweight seed dimensions suggest a reproductive strategy optimized for efficient distribution, likely facilitating movement through environmental vectors while ensuring a standardized nutrient reserve for each individual embryo.

Seed mass mean:

0.004 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Indigofera sphaerocarpa has 2 reported plant parts identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf, flower.

Leaf

1. Malaria journal
2. Artificial cells, nanomedicine, and biotechnology

Flower

1. International journal of food sciences and nutrition

Chemicals

Indigofera sphaerocarpa has 17 reported phytochemicals identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Indirubin, Antioxidants, Ash, Eupalitin, Flavonoids.

Indirubin

1. Clinical therapeutics
2. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
3. Stem cells (Dayton, Ohio)

Antioxidants

1. Journal of pharmaceutical analysis

Ash

1. Dr. Duke

Eupalitin

1. Metabolic brain disease

Flavonoids

1. Journal of pharmaceutical analysis

INDICAN

1. Dr. Duke

INDIGO

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

Indigotin

1. Dr. Duke

K2O

1. Dr. Duke

Nitrogen

1. Dr. Duke

Activities

Indigofera sphaerocarpa has 5 reported activities identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Antiseptic, Astringent, Carcinogenic, Pesticide.

Antioxidant

1. Journal of pharmaceutical analysis

Antiseptic

1. Dr. Duke

Astringent

1. Dr. Duke

Carcinogenic

1. Dr. Duke

Pesticide

1. Dr. Duke

Preparations