Añil

Añil is the common name of the flowering plant Indigofera suffruticosa (formerly Indigofera anil) in the family Fabaceae. In Hawaiian it is know as either ‘Inikō/Inikoa, or Kolū; in Fijian it is called Vaivai; the Samoans call it La‘au mageso; on Guam it is called Aniles; and in Tonga it is referred to as ʻakauveli (itchy plant).

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Añil is native to tropical America, and is commonly found in the West Indies and Hawaiian Islands, extending to subtropical Argentina, tropical/subtropical Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. It is an erect branching shrub growing to 1m tall with pinnate leaves, and is commonly found growing in dry, highly disturbed areas such as roadsides and bush fallow.

Añil is commonly used as a source for indigo dye and if mixed with certain clays it can produce the beautiful Maya blue or Azul Maya a pigment used by the Maya Civilisation.

References

• List of plants of Caatinga vegetation of Brazil