Centrosema

Centrosema
Centrosema pubescens
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Rosids
Order:	Fabales
Family:	Fabaceae
Subfamily:	Faboideae
Tribe:	Phaseoleae
Subtribe:	Clitoriinae
Genus:	Centrosema (DC.) Benth. (1837)
Type species
Centrosema brasilianum (L.) Benth. (1837)
Species [1]
44, see text
Synonyms [1]
BradburyaRaf. (1817) CruminiumDesv. (1826) PlatysemaBenth. (1837) SteganotropisLehm. (1826) VexillariaBenth. (1837), nom. illeg.

Centrosema, the butterfly peas, ^[2] is a genus of (mainly tropical) American vines in the legume family (Fabaceae). It includes 44 species, which range through the tropical and warm-temperate Americas from the southern United States to northern Argentina. Species include: ^[1]

• Centrosema acutifolium Benth.
• Centrosema angustifolium Benth.
• Centrosema arenarium Benth.
• Centrosema arenicola (Small) F.J.Herm.
• Centrosema bellum Vilchez
• Centrosema bifidum Benth.
• Centrosema brachypodum Benth.
• Centrosema bracteosum Benth.
• Centrosema brasilianum (L.) Benth.
• Centrosema capitatum (Rich.) Amshoff
• Centrosema carajasense Cavalc.
• Centrosema coriaceum Benth.
• Centrosema dasyanthum Benth.
• Centrosema fasciculatum Benth.
• Centrosema grandiflorum Benth.
• Centrosema grazielae V.P.Barbosa
• Centrosema haitense Urb. & Ekman
• Centrosema heptaphyllum Moric.
• Centrosema heteroneurum (Standl.) Standl.
• Centrosema jaraguaense Hoehne
• Centrosema kermesi Burkart
• Centrosema latidens Killip & J.F.Macbr.
• Centrosema lucia-helenae Brandão & Gavil.
• Centrosema macranthum Hoehne
• Centrosema macrocarpum Benth.
• Centrosema molle Mart. ex Benth.
• Centrosema pascuorum Mart. ex Benth.
• Centrosema platycarpum Benth.
• Centrosema plumieri (Turp. ex Pres.) Benth.
• Centrosema pubescens Benth.
• Centrosema rotundifolium Mart. ex Benth.
• Centrosema sagittatum (Humb. & Bonpl. ex Willd.) Brandegee
• Centrosema schottii (Millsp.) K.Schum.
• Centrosema sericiflorum K.L.Barreto & L.P.Queiroz
• Centrosema tapirapoanense Hoehne
• Centrosema teresae Brandão & Sousa Costa
• Centrosema tetragonolobum R.Schultze-Kraft & R.J.Williams
• Centrosema triquetrum (Hoffmanns. ex Benth.) Benth.
• Centrosema unifoliatum (Rose) Lundell
• Centrosema variifolium Burkart
• Centrosema venosum Mart. ex Benth.
• Centrosema vetulum Mart. ex Benth.
• Centrosema vexillatum Benth.
• Centrosema virginianum (L.) Benth.

Lepidopteran caterpillars that feed on butterfly peas include the two-barred flasher (Astraptes fulgerator), occasionally recorded on C. macrocarpum and C. plumieri at least. ^[3]

Another plant referred to as butterfly pea from the same subtribe Clitoriinae is the related Clitoria ternatea . However it doesn't belong to the genus Centrosema.

In Jamaica, it is known as Fee Fee and is usually seen at Christmas time. The flower is able to make a whistling sound hence children usually find it useful as a toy.^{[ citation needed ]}

See also

• Clitoria

Footnotes

1. Centrosema (DC.) Benth. Plants of the World Online . Retrieved 15 August 2023.
2. USDA (2007)
3. Hébert et al. (2004), Brower et al. (2006)

References

• Brower, Andrew V.Z. (2006): Problems with DNA barcodes for species delimitation: ‘ten species’ of Astraptes fulgerator reassessed (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae). Systematics and Biodiversity4(2): 127–132. doi : 10.1017/S147720000500191X PDF fulltext
• Hébert, Paul D.N.; Penton, Erin H.; Burns, John M.; Janzen, Daniel H. & Hallwachs, Winnie (2004): Ten species in one: DNA barcoding reveals cryptic species in the semitropical skipper butterfly Astraptes fulgerator. PNAS 101(41): 14812–14817. doi : 10.1073/pnas.0406166101 PDF fulltext Supporting Appendices
• United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) (2007): USDA Plants Profile: Centrosema. Retrieved 2007-DEC-17.