Sesbania javanica Miq. (Fabaceae)

Scientific name
Sesbania javanica Miq.
Family name
Fabaceae (Syn. Leguminosae)
Common name
Sesbania (English)
Local name
Sano kin dok, phak hong haeng, si pree laa, sano hin
Wild ramose herb or undershrub, 1–4 m tall. Leaves paripinnate, shortly petiolate; leaflets in 10–30 pairs, opposite or subalternate, oblong-linear, rounded at ends, 1.2–2.5 cm long × 2–4 mm wide. Inflorescence of racemes, flowers 5–12, 10 cm long, slender; corolla papilionaceous, 2.5 cm long, yellow, finely spotted with brown. Pod straight, pendent, 18–20 cm long × 4 mm wide, violet or brown. Seeds numerous, globose, glossy, 3 mm in diameter.
Traditional medicinal use
Functionality
Functional constituents
Grows in swampy places.
Young shoots are cooked and eaten with nam phrik (dipping sauces). Flowers are eaten raw, blanched, fried with egg, or fermented, and served with nam phrik kapi (dipping sauce with shrimp paste), or added to kaeng som dok khae (sweet and sour curry). Flowers contain a carotenoid substance, and are used to impart a yellow colour to various desserts such as khanom bua loi (coloured balls of sticky rice flour cooked in sweetened coconut milk).
Flowers
Flowers
Legumes