[1][2] It forms a symbiotic relationship with Gram-negative rhizobia which leads to the formation of nitrogen fixing nodules on both stem and roots.

[3][4] It is mainly used as green manure to improve soil fertility due to its fast growth, high biomass production and ability to convert large amounts of atmospheric nitrogen into a usable form for plants.

Pods are curved 15 to 22 cm long, and seeds are small, sub-cylindrical, and light to dark brown in colour.

[10][11] Nepal: girkhe dhaichaa Thailand: sano African[12] S. rostrata is native to the Sahel region of Africa and grows naturally throughout the tropics in marshes, floodplains, and edges of pools.

[16] S. rostrata was then introduced into Asia and it has been used as a green manure for lowland rice systems in several countries in the region.

It fixes large amounts of nitrogen in only 6–8 weeks if the appropriate strain of Azorhizobium caulinodans is present in the soil.

Its use as a green manure is limited to that part of the year with longer day lengths because during this period vegetative growth is extended and more biomass is produced.

Both ratooning and stem-cuttings yield more biomass, accumulate more nitrogen, and grow faster than seeded plants.

[31] There are germplasm collections kept at the IRRI in Los Baños, Philippines, by ORSTOM in Dakar, Senegal, and by CSIRO in Australia, and a small number of accessions are kept at the Southern Regional Plant Introduction Station in Georgia, USA.

In some countries leaves are eaten by people, and it is also a source of fuelwood, dry stems serve as a fuel in Madagascar.

[41][42][43] S. rostrata provides a readily available source of crude protein (CP) content for livestock which can be especially beneficial for small-scale farming.

[51][52] The dual inoculation of S. rostrata with Glomus mosseae and Azorhizobium caulinodans has been shown to increase plant height, as well as concentration and uptake of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) in shoots and roots.