Centrosema

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Centrosema
Centrosema pubescens
Scientific classification Edit this 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]
  • Bradburya Raf. (1817)
  • Cruminium Desv. (1826)
  • Platysema Benth. (1837)
  • Steganotropis Lehm. (1826)
  • Vexillaria Benth. (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]

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[edit]

Footnotes[edit]

  1. ^ a b c 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[edit]

  • Brower, Andrew V.Z. (2006): Problems with DNA barcodes for species delimitation: ‘ten species’ of Astraptes fulgerator reassessed (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae). Systematics and Biodiversity 4(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.