Details Top

Internal ID UUID643fde657af1d613208411
Scientific name Crotalaria juncea
Authority L.
First published in Sp. Pl.: 714 (1753)

Ethnobotanical Use Top

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General Uses Top

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Common products:
Sun hemp fiber, obtained by decortication of the bast. Commercial forms include scutched and hackled fiber bundles, spun yarn, and nonwoven mats used as reinforcement in composites and geotextiles.

Industrial and craft applications:
Technical textiles such as heavy-duty bags, sackcloth, cordage, twine, and rope; reinforced plastics and polymer composites; nonwoven mats for erosion control and geotextiles. Lignin-rich shives are used in particleboard and insulation boards.

Food and beverages (non-medicinal):
None—seeds and foliage contain toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids and are not used as food.

Colorants and tanning:
Stems and leaves yield brown dyes for protein fibers (wool/silk) under alkaline conditions, typically with mordants. Stems provide tannins for vegetable tanning of hides, imparting reddish-brown color.

Wood and fiber:
Bast fibers are a long, high-cellulose, low-lignin material used for high-strength paper grades and technical papers. Limited use as low-value timber or biomass.

Fragrance and cosmetics:
No reliable fragrance or cosmetic uses reported.

Properties relevant to use:
Tensile strength typically 400–700 MPa, fiber length commonly 0.8–1.5 m; fiber bundles show high cellulose (≈67–74% of dry matter), moderate hemicellulose, low lignin (≈6–9%), low pentosan content, and a pH around 8–9 in alkaline extracts; bast fiber diameter typically 15–30 µm.

Standards and regulation:
Traded under national standards for sunnhemp fiber and fiber length classification; pulp fibers subject to national paper/board standards. Export quality and grading specifications are widely documented.

Sustainability and sourcing:
Nitrogen-fixing, short-rotation (2–3 months) annual that improves soil fertility and supports cropping systems; requires minimal irrigation and low pesticide input; fiber harvesting and retting require water and careful management to avoid contamination with toxic Crotalaria species and to meet safety requirements for textiles and paper grades.

Synonyms Top

Scientific name Authority First published in
Crotalaria tenuifolia Roxb. ex Hornem. Hort. Bot. Hafn., Suppl.: 151 (1819)
Crotalaria viminea Wall. Numer. List [Wallich] n. 5397 B. [1831-32]
Crotalaria benghalensis Lam. Encycl.2: 196 (1786)
Crotalaria fenestrata Sims Bot. Mag.44: t. 1933 (1817)
Crotalaria ferestrata Sims
Crotalaria cannabinus Royle Ill. Bot. Himal. Mts.: 82 (1834)
Isotropis argentea Ewart & Morrison Proc. Roy. Soc. Victoria, n.s., 26: 157 (1913)
Crotalaria juncea var. bengalensis (Lam.) Kuntze Revis. Gen. Pl.1: 176 (1891)
Crotalaria juncea var. puncticulata DC. Prodr.2: 126 (1825)
Crotalaria porrecta Wall. Numer. List : n.° 5363 (1831)
Crotalaria sericea Willd. Sp. Pl., ed. 4. 3: 519 (1800)
Crotalaria kanchiana Gholave, Mane, Gore, Kambale & S.P.Gaikwad Phytotaxa 409: 234 (2019)

Common names Top

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Language Common/alternative name
English sunn hemp
English indian hemp
English brown hemp
English madras hemp
Arabic قنب الكروتولاريا
Bengali শণ
Bengali শনপাট
gor orok-orok
guc isirachon
Hindi सनई
Indonesian orok-orok
Japanese サンヘンプ
Punjabi ਸਣ
su orok-orok
Swedish sunnhampa
Vietnamese lục lạc sợi
Chinese 响铃草
Chinese 赫麻
Chinese 自消容
Chinese 太阳麻
Chinese 蘭鈴豆
Chinese 菽麻
Chinese 一种维管植物
Chinese 太陽麻
Chinese 太阳麻根
Chinese 印度麻

Subspecies (abbr. subsp./ssp.) Top

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Varieties (abbr. var.) Top

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Subvarieties (abbr. subvar.) Top

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Forms (abbr. f.) Top

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Germination/Propagation Top

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No germination or propagation data was added yet.

Distribution (via POWO/KEW) Top

Legend for the distribution data:
- Doubtful data
- Extinct
- Introduced
- Native
  • Africa
    • East Tropical Africa
      • Kenya
      • Tanzania
      • Uganda
    • Northeast Tropical Africa
      • Ethiopia
      • Sudan
    • Northern Africa
      • Libya
    • South Tropical Africa
      • Angola
      • Malawi
      • Mozambique
      • Zambia
      • Zimbabwe
    • Southern Africa
      • Kwazulu-Natal
      • Northern Provinces
    • West Tropical Africa
      • Burkina
      • Ghana
      • Guinea-Bissau
      • Nigeria
      • Senegal
      • Togo
    • West-central Tropical Africa
      • Gabon
      • Gulf Of Guinea Islands
      • Zaïre
    • Western Indian Ocean
      • Madagascar
      • Mauritius
      • Réunion
  • Asia-temperate
    • Caucasus
      • Transcaucasus
    • China
      • China North-central
      • China South-central
      • China Southeast
    • Eastern Asia
      • Taiwan
    • Middle Asia
      • Uzbekistan
    • Western Asia
      • Afghanistan
      • Iraq
  • Asia-tropical
    • Indian Subcontinent
      • Assam
      • Bangladesh
      • East Himalaya
      • India
      • Nepal
      • Pakistan
      • Sri Lanka
      • West Himalaya
    • Indo-China
      • Andaman Islands
      • Cambodia
      • Laos
      • Myanmar
      • Thailand
      • Vietnam
    • Malesia
      • Jawa
      • Lesser Sunda Islands
      • Malaya
      • Maluku
      • Philippines
      • Sulawesi
      • Sumatera
    • Papuasia
      • New Guinea
  • Australasia
    • Australia
      • New South Wales
      • Northern Territory
      • Queensland
      • Western Australia
  • Pacific
    • Northwestern Pacific
      • Caroline Islands
    • Southwestern Pacific
      • Fiji
  • Southern America
    • Brazil
      • Brazil North
      • Brazil Northeast
      • Brazil South
      • Brazil Southeast
      • Brazil West-central
    • Caribbean
      • Cayman Islands
      • Cuba
      • Dominican Republic
      • Haiti
      • Jamaica
      • Leeward Islands
      • Puerto Rico
      • Trinidad-Tobago
      • Windward Islands
    • Northern South America
      • Guyana
      • Suriname
      • Venezuela
    • Southern South America
      • Paraguay
    • Western South America
      • Colombia

Links to other databases Top

Suggest others/fix!
Database ID/link to page
World Flora Online wfo-0000210925
UNII 65T1JUM18D
Florida Plant Atlas 4110
Flora of Alabama 5457
USDA Plants CRJU
Tropicos 13029244
INPN 629453
KEW urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:322601-2
The Plant List ild-6022
Open Tree Of Life 612454
Observations.org 129861
NCBI Taxonomy 3829
IPNI 322601-2
iNaturalist 366300
GBIF 2942877
Freebase /m/027k3jr
EPPO CVTJU
EOL 694540
Calflora (Californian flora) 13355
USDA GRIN 12331
Wikipedia Crotalaria_juncea
KEW urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:77200595-1
IPNI 77200595-1
GBIF 10837138

Genomes (via NCBI) Top

No reference genome is available on NCBI yet. We are constantly monitoring for new data.

Scientific Literature Top

Below are displayed the latest 15 articles published in PMC (PubMed Central®) and other sources (DOI number only)!
If you wish to see all the related articles click here.
Title Authors Publication Released IDs
Economic assessment of using Bermudagrass stockpiling and annual cereal pasture to extend grazing in cow-calf operations Sestak J, Biermacher JT, Brorsen BW, Rogers JK Transl Anim Sci 22-Apr-2024
PMCID:PMC11073542
doi:10.1093/tas/txae067
PMID:38712326
A comprehensive review on the hepatotoxicity of herbs used in the Indian (Ayush) systems of alternative medicine Philips CA, Theruvath AH Medicine (Baltimore) 19-Apr-2024
PMCID:PMC11029936
doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000037903
PMID:38640296
Physiological and molecular insights into the allelopathic effects on agroecosystems under changing environmental conditions Kumar N, Singh H, Giri K, Kumar A, Joshi A, Yadav S, Singh R, Bisht S, Kumari R, Jeena N, Khairakpam R, Mishra G Physiol Mol Biol Plants 06-Apr-2024
PMCID:PMC11018569
doi:10.1007/s12298-024-01440-x
PMID:38633277
From Flora to Pharmaceuticals: 100 new additions to angiosperms of Gafargaon subdistrict in Bangladesh and unraveling antidiabetic drug candidates targeting DPP4 through in silico approach Ahmed SS, Rahman MO PLoS One 29-Mar-2024
PMCID:PMC10980240
doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0301348
PMID:38551991
Green cleanup of styrene-contaminated soil by carbon-based nanoscale zero-valent iron and phytoremediation: Sunn hemp (Crotalaria juncea), zinnia (Zinnia violacea Cav.), and marigold (Tagetes erecta L.) Kambhu A, Satapanajaru T, Somsamak P, Pengthamkeerati P, Chokejaroenrat C, Muangkaew K, Nonthamit K Heliyon 07-Mar-2024
PMCID:PMC10944241
doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e27499
PMID:38496887
A metagenomic investigation of phytoplasma diversity in Australian vegetable growing regions Rodrigues Jardim B, Gambley C, Tran-Nguyen LT, Webster C, Kehoe M, Kinoti WM, Bond S, Davis R, Jones L, Pathania N, Sharman M, Chapman T, Rodoni BC, Constable FE Microb Genom 06-Mar-2024
PMCID:PMC10999746
doi:10.1099/mgen.0.001213
PMID:38446015
Crop residue heterogeneity: Decomposition by potential indigenous ligno-cellulolytic microbes and enzymatic profiling Sharma S, Kumawat KC, Kaur P, Kaur S, Gupta N Curr Res Microb Sci 24-Feb-2024
PMCID:PMC10912851
doi:10.1016/j.crmicr.2024.100227
PMID:38444877
A review on metal/metal oxide nanoparticles in food processing and packaging Joshi NC, Negi PB, Gururani P Food Sci Biotechnol 23-Jan-2024
PMCID:PMC10991644
doi:10.1007/s10068-023-01500-0
PMID:38585561
Exploring the potential of Crotalaria juncea flower extracts as a source of antioxidants, antimicrobials, and cytoprotective agents for biomedical applications Mahasawat P, Boukaew S, Prasertsan P BioTechnologia (Pozn) 21-Dec-2023
PMCID:PMC10777724
doi:10.5114/bta.2023.132772
PMID:38213478
NopAA and NopD Signaling Association-Related Gene GmNAC27 Promotes Nodulation in Soybean (Glycine max) Wang Y, Jia X, Li Y, Ma S, Ma C, Xin D, Wang J, Chen Q, Liu C Int J Mol Sci 15-Dec-2023
PMCID:PMC10744329
doi:10.3390/ijms242417498
PMID:38139327
Suppression of weed and insect populations by living and straw mulches in sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) Azimi S, Amini R, Hosseingolizadeh M Sci Rep 07-Dec-2023
PMCID:PMC10703854
doi:10.1038/s41598-023-48978-6
PMID:38062159
PSI-17 Use of Sunn Hemp as Forage for Early-Weaned Beef Calves Silva J, Vendramini J, Silva H, Oliveira H, Garzon J, Cook D, Gardner D, Moriel P J Anim Sci 06-Nov-2023
PMCID:PMC10633452
doi:10.1093/jas/skad281.447
Management of Reniform Nematode in Cotton Using Winter Crop Residue Amendments Under Greenhouse Conditions Sandoval-Ruiz R, Grabau ZJ J Nematol 21-Oct-2023
PMCID:PMC10590205
doi:10.2478/jofnem-2023-0041
PMID:37868787
JON 62nd Meeting 2023 Anchorage ABSTRACTS N/A J Nematol 16-Oct-2023
PMCID:PMC10578804
doi:10.2478/jofnem-2023-0047
PMID:37849470
Phylogenetic relatedness can influence cover crop-based weed suppression Menalled UD, Smith RG, Cordeau S, DiTommaso A, Pethybridge SJ, Ryan MR Sci Rep 13-Oct-2023
PMCID:PMC10576068
doi:10.1038/s41598-023-43987-x
PMID:37833350

Phytochemical Profile Top

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Below are displayed the proven (via scientific papers) natural compounds!
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Name PubChem ID Canonical SMILES MW Found in Proof
> Alkaloids and derivatives
[1,6]Dioxacyclododecino[2,3,4-gh]pyrrolizine-2,7-dione, 3-ethylidene-3,4,5,6,9,11,13,14,14a,14b-decahydro-6-hydroxy-6-methyl-5-methylene-, (3Z,6R,14aR,14bR)- 521227 Click to see 333.40 unknown https://doi.org/10.1021/JA01590A040
4-Ethylidene-7-hydroxy-7-(hydroxymethyl)-6-methylidene-2,9-dioxa-14-azatricyclo[9.5.1.014,17]heptadec-11-ene-3,8-dione 31745 Click to see 349.40 unknown https://doi.org/10.1021/JA01590A040
Riddelliine 5281744 Click to see CC=C1CC(=C)C(C(=O)OCC2=CCN3C2C(CC3)OC1=O)(CO)O 349.40 unknown https://doi.org/10.1021/JA01590A040
Seneciphylline 5281750 Click to see 333.40 unknown https://doi.org/10.1021/JA01590A040
> Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Steroids and steroid derivatives / Steroidal glycosides
3-[(3S,5R,8R,9S,10S,13S)-10,13-dimethyl-3-[(2S,3R,4S,5R)-3,4,5-trihydroxyoxan-2-yl]oxy-2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,11,12-decahydro-1H-cyclopenta[a]phenanthren-17-yl]-2H-furan-5-one 162848486 Click to see CC12CCC(CC1CCC3C2CCC4(C3=CC=C4C5=CC(=O)OC5)C)OC6C(C(C(CO6)O)O)O 486.60 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(06)80131-7
3-[10,13-dimethyl-3-(3,4,5-trihydroxyoxan-2-yl)oxy-2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,11,12-decahydro-1H-cyclopenta[a]phenanthren-17-yl]-2H-furan-5-one 162848484 Click to see 486.60 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(06)80131-7
> Organic acids and derivatives / Carboxylic acids and derivatives / Amino acids, peptides, and analogues / Alpha amino acids and derivatives / Alpha amino acids
2-Amino-5-hydroxyhexanoic acid 22998818 Click to see 147.17 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(74)80348-1
3-Hydroxy-2-(methylamino)pentanoic acid 76224000 Click to see 147.17 unknown https://doi.org/10.1021/JA01590A040
> Organic acids and derivatives / Carboxylic acids and derivatives / Amino acids, peptides, and analogues / Alpha amino acids and derivatives / Alpha amino acids / L-alpha-amino acids
(2S,3R)-3-hydroxy-2-(methylamino)pentanoic acid 55286555 Click to see 147.17 unknown https://doi.org/10.1021/JA01590A040
(2S,5S)-2-amino-5-hydroxyhexanoic acid 124350746 Click to see 147.17 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(74)80348-1
> Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavonoid glycosides / Flavonoid O-glucuronides / Flavonoid-7-O-glucuronides
(2S,3S,4R,5S,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-[5-hydroxy-2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-4-oxochromen-7-yl]oxyoxane-2-carboxylic acid 163085510 Click to see 446.40 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)85781-7
3,4,5-Trihydroxy-6-(5-hydroxy-2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-4-oxochromen-7-yl)oxyoxane-2-carboxylic acid 5387370 Click to see 446.40 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)85781-7
> Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavonoid glycosides / Flavonoid O-glycosides / Flavonoid-7-O-glycosides
5-hydroxy-7-[(2R,3R,4R,5R,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxy-2-[4-[(2S,3S,4S,5S,6S)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxyphenyl]chromen-4-one 162892653 Click to see 594.50 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)85781-7
5-hydroxy-7-[(2S,3S,4R,5S,6S)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxy-2-[4-[(2S,3S,4S,5S,6S)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxyphenyl]chromen-4-one 154496166 Click to see C1=CC(=CC=C1C2=CC(=O)C3=C(C=C(C=C3O2)OC4C(C(C(C(O4)CO)O)O)O)O)OC5C(C(C(C(O5)CO)O)O)O 594.50 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)85781-7
5-Hydroxy-7-[3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxy-2-[4-[3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxyphenyl]chromen-4-one 13915494 Click to see 594.50 unknown https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)85781-7
> Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Macrolides and analogues
4-Ethylidene-7-hydroxy-6,7-dimethyl-2,9-dioxa-14-azatricyclo[9.5.1.014,17]heptadec-11-ene-3,8-dione 254855 Click to see 335.40 unknown https://doi.org/10.1021/JA01590A040
Integerrimine 5281733 Click to see 335.40 unknown https://doi.org/10.1021/JA01590A040
Senecionine 5280906 Click to see CC=C1CC(C(C(=O)OCC2=CCN3C2C(CC3)OC1=O)(C)O)C 335.40 unknown https://doi.org/10.2307/4117899
https://doi.org/10.1021/JA01590A040

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