Coastal Butterfly-Pea (Centrosema virginianum) (Linnaeus, 1753)

 

Synonyms: Bradburya virginiana, Bradburya biflora, Centrosema biflorum, Clitoria virginiana, (see The Plant List for more synonyms ), spurred butterfly pea, wild blue vine

 

 

Centrosema virginianum occurs in the Americas from eastern United States to northern Argentina; also in Bermuda and the West Indies; introduced in West Africa. It grows in sandy or loamy soils in a wide range of natural and disturbed habitats, including forest edges, pinelands, floodplains, shorelines, and dunes; readily colonises recently burnt and disturbed areas. It is a perennial herbaceous vine, trailing along the ground or twining around vertical structures; up to 1.5-2 m in length. The leaves are alternate and 3-foliolate; leaflets are ovate, ovate-lanceolate, or elliptic. Flowers are papilionate, with fused purplish, lavender-blue or nearly white petals; subtended by two striate bracteoles. The fruit is a legume. In North America, C. virginianum flowers between April and October. Pollinated by bees.

 

D48561 Coastal Butterfly-Pea (Centrosema virginianum) South Bimini, Bahamas Copyright © Michael Patrikeev All Rights Reserved

 

		D48565 Coastal Butterfly-Pea (Centrosema virginianum) South Bimini, Bahamas Copyright © Michael Patrikeev All Rights Reserved
		D48557 Coastal Butterfly-Pea (Centrosema virginianum) South Bimini, Bahamas Copyright © Michael Patrikeev All Rights Reserved
Unauthorized use of our images is NOT permitted.
Hotlinking or "pinning" of our images to websites is STRICTLY PROHIBITED.
Copyright © Michael Patrikeev - All Rights Reserved