Characterization of Cajanus scarabaeoides growing in Yuanjiang county of Yunnan province in China

In Yuanjiang, Yunnan, China, C. scarabaeoides is found in abundance in open grasslands and dry scrub vegetation on hill slopes and ridges between cultivated fields. It is also located along roadsides, foot paths or convex rides where reasonable amount of sunlight is available. This creeper-climber, supported by grass and small shrubs have: either straight or winding branches which are woody at the base; pinnately trifoliate leaves with white-pubescent lower and upper surfaces; obovate end leaflet; short racemes; indeterminate and sporadic flowering habit; oblong, purple to dark purple pods; rectangular to rounded seeds; and yellow or creamish yellow flowers with dense sun-red veins. Its mean protein content is 21.88% in the seed and 13.23% in the dried leaves. It may be used as medicine for diarrhoea in cattle, and as a traditional Chinese medicine for improving indigestion and diuresis