Crotalaria longirostrata, the chipilín, is a perennial legume that is native to Mexico and Central America.[2] Other common names include chepil, chepilin, chipilin and longbeak rattlebox.
| Crotalaria longirostrata | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Fabales |
| Family: | Fabaceae |
| Subfamily: | Faboideae |
| Genus: | Crotalaria |
| Species: | C. longirostrata
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| Binomial name | |
| Crotalaria longirostrata | |
Description
editChipilín leaves are a common leafy vegetable in the local cuisines of southern Mexico, including Chiapas, Oaxaca, and Tabasco, and Central America, especially El Salvador and Guatemala. The leaves are high in iron, calcium, magnesium, and beta carotene. They can be boiled and served green, dried and used as an herb, or added to tamale doughs for color and flavor.
When the pods of the plant dry, they dehisce (split open), spreading the seeds over a wide area. That, combined with the fact that the plant is not eaten by animals, has given chipilín the reputation of an invasive plant. In the continental United States, chipilín is characterized as a noxious weed, perhaps because other members of the genus Crotalaria are toxic to cattle.[3] The importation of chipilín seeds or plants is banned in Australia. Introduced populations exist on the island of Maui in Hawaii.
References
edit- ^ Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI); IUCN SSC Global Tree Specialist Group (2019). "Crotalaria longirostrata". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2019: e.T130106005A149018928. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-2.RLTS.T130106005A149018928.en. Retrieved 23 December 2022.
- ^ a b "Crotalaria longirostrata". Germplasm Resources Information Network. Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 2009-11-23.
- ^ "Crotalaria longirostrata Hook. & Arn. longbeak rattlebox". PLANTS Database. United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 2009-11-23.
External links
edit
Media related to Crotalaria longirostrata at Wikimedia Commons- Leaf for Life description of chipilín
- List of invasive plants in Hawai'i Archived 2016-03-03 at the Wayback Machine
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