Derris trifoliata


Derris trifoliata is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae.
It is common in India; in various Indian languages, it is known as Angaar valli in Sanskrit; Karanjvel in Marathi; Firta in Konkani; Tigekranugu, Nauatige, and Chirathelathige in Telugu; Ketia and Swanlata in Oria; Kammattivalli and Ponumvalli in Malayalam; Kaliya lata/'Kalilata and Panlata in Bengali; Panlata also in Hindi.
It is also common in various parts of South East Asia; common names include
Asiasimanan in Filipino Tagalog; Tuwa areuy in Indonesian Sundanese; Akar Ketuil, Ketui, Setui, Salang, Tuba bekut or Sea Tuba in Peninsular Malaysian; Phak thaep in central Thai; Cc Kn Nc/Cosc Kesn Nuwowsc'
in Vietnamese, etc.
It is a large climber found commonly in coastal swamps of tropical coastal areas in South-East Asia. It is 3–5 meters long. Its leaves are alternate, pinnate, 12–20cm; leaflets 5 and ovate, 6-10 cm, acuminate, rounded at base. Flowers are 1cm in size, in axillary racemes 8–15cm. Pods are 3–4cm, flat, pale yellow in color.
The rotenoid 6aα,12aα-12a-hydroxyelliptone can be found in the stems of D. trifoliata. In 1902 Kazuo Nagai, Japanese chemical engineer of the Government-General of Taiwan, isolated a pure crystalline compound from a closely related plant possibly Derris elliptica which he called rotenone, after the Taiwanese name of the plant 蘆藤 translated into Japanese rōten.
The pod, root, and stem of the Derris trifoliata are rich in poisonous rotenoids and used commonly in insecticide, piscicide and pesticide activities and also have sometimes caused human morbidity or mortality due to suicide attempts or accidental ingestion.
The larvae of Hasora hurama feed on D. trifoliata.