Species of legume
Centrosema virginianum is known by the common names of spurred butterfly pea,[1] wild blue vine, blue bell, and wild pea.[2] C. virginianum is a member of the family Fabaceae, it is identified by its trailing and twining vine and showy flowers.[3] C. virginianum habitats are in sunny areas within pine lands, and coastal uplands.[3]
Description
Centrosema virginianum is a perennial herbaceous vine [4] growing procumbently or twining to a height approaching two meters.[1][2] It has alternate pinnately divided leaves, 3 to 10 centimeters long. Leaflets are lanceolate or ovate, 1 to 4 cm long,[2] Stipules are often deciduous, and mostly setaceous.[2] There is a wide range of leaflet forms, from linear to ovate to oblong or lanceolate-oblong, acute or acuminate at the apex.[2] Flowering occurs in the spring and summer.[1][4]
Flowers of Centrosema virginianum, are highly specialized, with an inverted (resupinate) banner to accommodate pollinators (bees).[4] The inflorescence consists of one to four bisexual flowers on an axillary peduncle; the calyx is deeply five-lobed, and the acute lobes are longer than the tube.[2] The corolla is purplish or lavender-blue to nearly white;[2] the fruit contains four to ten dark brown seeds.[2] The diversity of leaflet shapes and corolla size and color can lead to confusion with C. pubescens.[2] C. virginianum's roots are capable of nitrogen fixation.[5]
Distribution
Centrosema virginianum ranges more or less continuously from Uruguay and northern Argentina to the eastern United States and Bermuda in tropical and subtropical areas.[2][3] It is widely distributed throughout the West Indies and has become naturalized in tropical West Africa.[2]
