Cajanus

The genus Cajanus is a member of the plant family Fabaceae. There are 37 species, mainly distributed across Africa, Asia and Australasia. Species include the pigeon pea (C. cajan), which is a significant food crop. The natural range of Cajanus species includes West Africa, Madagascar and the Comoros, the Indian Subcontinent, Indochina, southern China and Taiwan, Malesia, New Guinea, and northern Australia. Typical habitats include seasonally-dry tropical open forest, woodland, and grassland, often in rocky or disturbed areas. Some species, including Cajanus cajan, have been introduced to the tropical Americas, elsewhere in Africa, and to central Asia. Cajanus species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Endoclita malabaricus. Species include: Cajanus acutifolius (F.Muell. ex Benth.) Maesen Cajanus albicans (Wight & Arn.) Maesen Cajanus aromaticus Maesen Cajanus cajan (L.) Huth – pigeon pea, Congo-pea Cajanus cajanifolius (Haines) Maesen Cajanus cinereus (F.Muell. ex Benth.) F.Muell. Cajanus confertiflorus F.Muell. Cajanus crassicaulis Maesen Cajanus crassus (Prain ex King) Maesen Cajanus elongatus (Benth.) Maesen Cajanus geminatus Pedley ex Maesen Cajanus goensis Dalzell Cajanus grandiflorus (Benth. ex Baker) Maesen Cajanus heynei (Wight & Arn.) Maesen Cajanus hirtopilosus Maesen Cajanus kerstingii Harms Cajanus lanceolatus (W.Fitzg.) Maesen Cajanus lanuginosus Maesen Cajanus latisepalus (S.T.Reynolds & Pedley) Maesen Cajanus lineatus (Wight & Arn.) Maesen Cajanus mareebensis (S.T.Reynolds & Pedley) Maesen Cajanus marmoratus (Banks ex Benth.) F.Muell. Cajanus mollis (Benth.) Maesen Cajanus niveus (Benth.) Maesen Cajanus platycarpus (Benth.) Maesen Cajanus pubescens (Ewart & Morrison) Maesen Cajanus reticulatus Aiton) F.Muell. Cajanus scarabaeoides (L.) Thouars Cajanus sericeus (Benth. ex Baker) Maesen Cajanus trinervius (DC.) Maesen Cajanus villosus (Benth. ex Baker) Maesen Cajanus viscidus Maesen Cajanus volubilis (Blanco) Blanco