Indigofera hirsuta (Hairy Indigo)

Native across much of the tropics and subtropics, this herb or subshrub has an erect or spreading habit. Its stems bear stiff hairs, often brownish, while compound leaves usually have five to seven oval or oblong leaflets. Dense, elongated racemes carry numerous small, brick-red or rose-colored pea flowers. Straight, hairy pods develop after flowering, each containing several angular seeds. The species grows in cultivated fields, waste ground, and other open habitats. It is grown as a green manure, cover crop and forage plant, but its toxicity limits how much can be included in livestock feed. It is naturalized in Colombia. Photographed in Colombia.