Tephrosia cinerea (L.) Pers.

  • 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 cinerea (L.) Pers.

  • Description

    Species Description - Prostrate or erect herb, many-branched from a woody base; branches to 25 cm long; young foliage silvery pubescent. Leaflets 11-15, opposite, 1.3-3.8 x 0.2-0.9 cm, oblanceolate to elliptic, chartaceous, silvery pubescent on lower surface, the veins ascending, the apex mucronulate, obtuse, rounded, or acute, the base obtuse, the margins ciliate; petiolules ca. 1 mm long; stipules awl-shaped, to 4 mm long. Racemes terminal or opposite to leaves, few-flowered, to 10 cm long. Calyx bell-shaped, 5-7 mm long; corolla pink to pinkish violet, the standard 7-8 mm long, oval, clawed, the wings and keel as long as the standard. Legume 4-6 cm long, linear, slightly flattened. Seeds few, 3-4 mm long, bean-shaped.

  • Distribution

    A common weed of open dry areas. Ram Head (A2049, W28). Also on St. Croix, St. Thomas, Tortola, and Virgin Gorda; throughout the neotropics.

    Saint Croix Virgin Islands of the United States South America| Saint Thomas Virgin Islands of the United States South America| Tortola Virgin Islands South America| Virgin Gorda Virgin Islands South America|