Family: Legume
Ecology/ Botany:
This hardy, adaptable perennial is in the pea family and grows in a wide range of environments, including harsh, dry, low nutrient, rocky soil. It inhabits the dry climatic regions. With symbiotic bacteria, it fixes nitrogen in the soil for growth and can be invasive. Its whirls of leaves are covered in silky, silvery hairs that collect water droplets.
Medicinal/ Other Uses:
It is toxic to some grazing animals, and low in nutrition. Though it’s not typically consumed by people, in some parts of the world, the seeds are processed to remove the toxic components to make them edible.