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.

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)