Psoralea corylifolia Linn., Sp.Pl. 764. 1753. Baker in Hook.f.,Fl.Brit. Ind.2:103.1876; Cooke,Fl.Bomb.Pres. (reprint ed.) 1:341.1958; Ali in Biologia 9:18.1963.
Vern.: Bauchi.
Erect annual, 60-125 cm tall. Stem pubescent and brown punctate. Leaf alternate, unifoliolate, petiole c. 2 mm long, rachis 1-4.5 cm long, lamina 3.7-7.5 cm long, 2.5-5.0 cm broad, cordate, subovate rarely ovate, margin dentate, tip obtuse, subtruncate, mucronate, pubescent and nigro-punctate on both sides, stipules lanceolate, persistent, 5-10 mm long. Inflorescence a peduncled raceme, peduncle 1.5-7.0 cm long, 3 flowers in the axil of each bract, bracts 2-3 mm long. Pedicel c. 1 mm long. Calyx bilabiate, upper lip 3-4 mm long, formed of 4 teeth, lower lip 4-5 mm long, formed of 1 tooth, pubescent and punctate. Vexillum 5-6 mm long. Fruit 4.5 mm, ovoid, glabrous, black, pitted, mucronate.
Fl.Per.: August-December.
Holotype: India, Herb.Linn. 928.24 (LINN).
Distribution: Pakistan; India; Ceylon; Burma; China, Yunnan, Szechuan; Arabia; Somali Republic; Socotra.
Seeds are reputed to be medicinally important.
