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Family Fabaceae
Paro-paro
Christia obcordata (Poir.) Bakh.f.
GREEN BUTTERFLY PLANT / SWALLOWTAIL
Pu di bian fu cao

Scientific names Common names
Christia obcordata (Poir.) Bakh.f. Paro-paro (Tag.)
Hedysarum obcordatum Poir. Butterfly leaf (Engl.)
Lourea obcordata (Poir.) Desv. Butterfly plant (Engl.)
Accepted infraspecifics (2) Butterfly stripe plant (Engl.)
Christia obcordata var. obcordata Butterfly wing plant (Engl.)
Hedysarum loureiroi Spreng Green butterfly plant (Engl.)
Hedysarum reniforme Lour. Iron butterfly (Engl.)
Lourea microphylla Wall. Swallowtail (Engl.)
Lourea obcordata var. reticulata Domin  
Lourea reniformis DC.  
Lourea reniformis var. reticulata (Domin) Domin  
Ploca humilis Lour. ex Gomes Mach.  
Christia obcordata var. siamensia (Craib)  
Lourea paniculata var. siamensia Craib.  
Christia obcordata is an accepted species. KEW: Plants of the World Online

Other vernacular names
CHINA: Pu di bian fu cao.

Gen info
- Christia obcordata is a flowering plant in the family Fabaceae. The plant is notable for its butterfly-shaped leaves. (2)
- Etymology: The genus name Christia is a Latinized form of the Greek word Christos, which means "anointed" or "chosen one". The specific epithet obcordata derives from Latin ob- meaning "inverted" or "revered", and cordata - cor meaning heart, and cordata, referring to "heart-shape", together literally translating to "inverted heart" or "reverse heart" referring to the shape of the leaves.

Botany
Herbs, perennial, prostrate, 15-60 cm. Leaves often 3-foliolate, rarely 1-foliolate; petiole 8-10 mm, filiform, gray pi­lose; terminal leaflet blade mostly reniform, orbicular-triangu­lar, or obovate, 0.5-1.5 × 1-2 cm, abaxially pilose, adaxially glabrous, base broadly cuneate, apex truncate and slightly emar­ginate; lateral ones obovate, cordate, or nearly orbicular, 6-7 × ca. 5 mm, lateral veins 3-5 on each side of midvein. Racemes mostly terminal, 3-18 cm, 1-flowered at each node. Pedicel 2-3 mm. Calyx half-hyaline, initially ca. 2 mm, to 6-8 mm at fruiting, distinctly reticulate veined; lobes ca. as long as tube. Corolla bluish purple or roseate, 3-5 mm, slightly longer than calyx. Legume 4- or 5-jointed, wholly enclosed by calyx; arti­cles orbicular, ca. 2.5 mm in diam., glabrous. (Flora of China)

Distribution
- Native to the Philippines.
- Also native Andaman Is., Bismarck Archipelago, Cambodia, China Southeast, East Himalaya, Hainan, India, Jawa, Laos, Lesser Sunda Is., Malaya, Maluku, Myanmar, Nansei-shoto, New Guinea, Sulawesi, Sumatera, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam. (1)

Constituents
- Phytochemical screening of aerial parts of C. obcordata revealed flavonoid, tannin, alkaloid in the methanol extract; flavonoid, tannin, and carbohydrate in water extract; and steroids in petroleum ether and chloroform extracts, and absence of saponin and protein in all extracts. (3)

Properties
- Considered air-purifying.
- The wispy leaves flutter like butterflies when the wind blo ws through the wiry stems.; hence, the butterfly name.


Parts used
Leaves.

Uses

Edibility
- Conflicting reports on edibility.
Folkloric
- No reported folkloric medicinal use in the Philippines.
- In Japan and Indonesia, used for treatment of urinary blockages. (2)
- Traditionally used to treat acute and chronic nephritis, urinary tract infections, bronchitis, and to improve blood circulation.
Others

- Agroforestry: A productive leguminous cover crop.
- Air purifying: Considered an indoor air-purifying plant that filters pollutants like formaldehyde and benzene.

Studies
No studies found.

Availability
- Wild-crafted.
- Ornamental cultivation.
- Live plants, seeds in the cybermarket.

July 2025

                                                 PHOTOS / ILLUSTRATIONS
IMAGE SOURCE: Christia obcordata / Raffi Kojian - Gardenology / CC BY-SA 3.0 / Click on image or link to go to source page / Wikipedia
IMAGE SOURCE: Christia obcordata - Leaf close-up / Foliage Factory / Non-commercial use / Image modified / Click on image or link to go to source page / FOLIAGE FACTORY

Additional Sources and Suggested Readings
(1)
Christia obcordata / KEW: Plants of the World Online
(2)

Christia obcordata / Wikipedia
(3)
Pharmacognostic Studies on Christia obcordata (Poir.) Bakh. f. and Christia vespertilionis (L.f.) Bakh. f  / Nur Asma Amirah Binti Rosli, Santhanathan A L Rajendram, Ravindran Muthukumarasamy et al / RJPT: Research Journal of Pharmacy and Technology, 2024; 17(6) / DOI: 10.52711/0974-360X.2024.00383

DOI: It is not uncommon for links on studies/sources to change. Copying and pasting the information on the search window or using the DOI (if available) will often redirect to the new link page. (Citing and Using a (DOI) Digital Object Identifier)

                                                            List of Understudied Philippine Medicinal Plants
                                          New plant names needed
The compilation now numbers over 1,500 medicinal plants. While I believe there are hundreds more that can be added to the collection, they are becoming more difficult to find. If you have a plant to suggest for inclusion, native or introduced, please email the info: scientific name (most helpful), local plant name (if known), any known folkloric medicinal use, and, if possible, a photo. Your help will be greatly appreciated.

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