Centrosema

  • Authority

    Acevedo-Rodríguez, Pedro & collaborators. 1996. Flora of St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 78: 1-581.

  • Family

    Fabaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Centrosema

  • Description

    Genus Description - Herbaceous twining vines. Leaves trifoliolate; stipules minute, persistent. Flowers large, axillary, solitary or a few on long, bracteate peduncles; bracts appressed to the calyx; calyx bell-shaped, with 5 elongate, unequal or nearly equal sepals; corolla pink, lavender, or white, the standard ovate to rounded, clawed, the wings and keel of similar length, much smaller than the standard; stamens 10, diadelphous or monadelphous; ovary nearly sessile, the style curved, pubescent, the stigma capitate or truncate. Legume linear, flattened, with thickened or ribbed margins, dehiscent along both sutures, the valves twisting; seeds many, small, bean-shaped.

  • Distribution

    A genus of about 45 species, with pantropical distribution.

    Saint John Virgin Islands of the United States South America|