Tephrosia

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

Tephrosia

Description

Genus Description - Erect or prostrate herbs or subshrubs. Leaves imparipinnate; the leaflets numerous, mostly opposite; stipules subulate, stipels wanting. Rowers small, in terminal, axillary or opposite to leaf racemes, the bracts minute; calyx bell-shaped, with 5 elongate, subequal sepals; corolla yellow, red, or purple, the standard nearly rounded, notched at apex, pubescent on lower surface, the wings as long as the keel, clawed, the keel incurved; stamens 10, diadelphous, of unequal length; ovary sessile, with several ovules, the style incurved, the stigma capitate. Legume linear, flattened, dehiscent by twisting valves; seeds flattened, rounded.

Distribution and Ecology - A genus of 250-300 species with cosmopolitan distribution.