Chamaecrista mimosoides

MEDICINAL PROPERTIES
Nirutti is an exceedingly variable, prostrate to erect legume up to 1.5 m high, usually annual, sometimes with stems becoming woody above ground level. Stems variable, usually puberulent with short curved hairs, sometimes more or less densely clothed with longer spreading hairs. Compound leaves are linear to linear-oblong, more or less parallel- sided, 0.6 to 10 cm long, 0.4 to 1.5 cm, with 16-76 pairs of oblong leaflets. This makes the leaf appear like a fish-bone, which is the origin of its one of the many common names. Inflorescence one- to three-flowered. Flowers are yellow, five-petalled, typical cassia form. Petals yellow, obovate 4 to 13 mm long, 2 to 9 mm wide. Pods linear to linear-oblong, (sometimes 1.5 but usually 3.5 to 8 cm long); 3.5 mm wide.
The pulverized leaves are used for dressing wounds and sores. The roots are used in diarrhoea and spasms. Roots are useful as a remedy for spasms of stomach. The roots are also believed to remove colic pain. The root powder mixed with corn flour is made into a paste which is applied on belly to cure colic pain by the tribal’s. In Japan and north Nigeria the leaves are used as a substitute of tea.