''Centrosema'', the butterfly peas, is a genus of (mainly tropical) American
vine
A vine (Latin ''vīnea'' "grapevine", "vineyard", from ''vīnum'' "wine") is any plant with a growth habit of trailing or scandent (that is, climbing) stems, lianas or runners. The word ''vine'' can also refer to such stems or runners themselv ...
s in the legume
family
Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...
(
).
Species
In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...
include:
* ''
Centrosema angustifolium''
Benth.
* ''
Centrosema arenarium
''Centrosema'', the butterfly peas, is a genus of (mainly tropical) American vines in the legume family (Fabaceae). Species include:
* '' Centrosema angustifolium'' Benth.
* '' Centrosema arenarium'' Benth.
* ''Centrosema brasilianum'' (L.) Ben ...
''
Benth.
* ''
Centrosema brasilianum
''Centrosema brasilianum'' belongs to the dicot class with a variety of names such as ''Clitoria brasiliana'', and many more. It is a member of the family Fabaceae. This species in mainly found in South American nations such as Brazil, Guyana, a ...
''
(L.) Benth.
* ''
Centrosema dasyanthum''
Benth.
* ''
Centrosema macranthum
''Centrosema'', the butterfly peas, is a genus of (mainly tropical) American vines in the legume family (Fabaceae). Species include:
* '' Centrosema angustifolium'' Benth.
* '' Centrosema arenarium'' Benth.
* ''Centrosema brasilianum'' (L.) Ben ...
''
Hoehne
* ''
Centrosema macrocarpum
''Centrosema'', the butterfly peas, is a genus of (mainly tropical) American vines in the legume family (Fabaceae). Species include:
* '' Centrosema angustifolium'' Benth.
* '' Centrosema arenarium'' Benth.
* ''Centrosema brasilianum'' (L.) Ben ...
''
* ''
Centrosema plumerii
''Centrosema'', the butterfly peas, is a genus of (mainly tropical) American vines in the legume family (Fabaceae). Species include:
* '' Centrosema angustifolium'' Benth.
* '' Centrosema arenarium'' Benth.
* ''Centrosema brasilianum'' (L.) Ben ...
''
(Turp. ex Pres.) Benth.
* ''
Centrosema pubescens
''Centrosema pubescens'', common name centro or butterfly pea, is a legume in the family Fabaceae, subfamily Faboideae, and tribe Phaseolae. It is native to Central and South America and cultivated in other tropical areas as a forage for li ...
''
Benth.
* ''
Centrosema sagittatum
''Centrosema'', the butterfly peas, is a genus of (mainly tropical) American vines in the legume family (Fabaceae). Species include:
* '' Centrosema angustifolium'' Benth.
* '' Centrosema arenarium'' Benth.
* ''Centrosema brasilianum'' (L.) Ben ...
''
(Willd.) Brad.
* ''
Centrosema vexillatum
''Centrosema'', the butterfly peas, is a genus of (mainly tropical) American vines in the legume family (Fabaceae). Species include:
* '' Centrosema angustifolium'' Benth.
* '' Centrosema arenarium'' Benth.
* ''Centrosema brasilianum'' (L.) Ben ...
''
Benth.
* ''
Centrosema virginianum
''Centrosema virginianum'' is known by the common names of Spurred Butterfly Pea, wild blue vine, blue bell, and wild pea. ''C. virginianum'' is a member of the family Fabaceae, it is identified by its trailing and twining vine and showy fl ...
''
Lepidoptera
Lepidoptera ( ) is an order (biology), order of insects that includes butterfly, butterflies and moths (both are called lepidopterans). About 180,000 species of the Lepidoptera are described, in 126 Family (biology), families and 46 Taxonomic r ...
n
caterpillar
Caterpillars ( ) are the larval stage of members of the order Lepidoptera (the insect order comprising butterflies and moths).
As with most common names, the application of the word is arbitrary, since the larvae of sawflies (suborder Sym ...
s that feed on butterfly peas include the
two-barred flasher
''Astraptes fulgerator'', the two-barred flasher, is a spread-wing skipper butterfly in the genus '' Astraptes'' which may constitute a possible cryptic species complex. It ranges all over the Americas, from the southern United States to north ...
(''Astraptes fulgerator''), occasionally recorded on ''
C. macrocarpum'' and ''
C. plumieri'' at least.
[Hébert ''et al.'' (2004), Brower ''et al.'' (2006)]
Another plant referred to as butterfly pea from the same subtribe ''Clitoriinae'' is the related
Clitoria ternatea
''Clitoria ternatea'', commonly known as Asian pigeonwings, bluebellvine, blue pea, butterfly pea, cordofan pea or Darwin pea is a plant species belonging to the family Fabaceae, endemic and native to the Indonesian island of Ternate.
In India, ...
. 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.
See also
*
Clitoria
''Clitoria'' is a genus of mainly tropical and subtropical, insect-pollinated flowering pea vines.
Taxonomy Naming of the genus
This genus was named after the human clitoris, for the flowers bear a resemblance to the vulva. The first referenc ...
Footnotes
References
* 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.
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
''Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America'' (often abbreviated ''PNAS'' or ''PNAS USA'') is a peer-reviewed multidisciplinary scientific journal. It is the official journal of the National Academy of Scien ...
'' 101(41): 14812–14817.
PDF fulltextSupporting Appendices
* United States Department of Agriculture
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is the United States federal executive departments, federal executive department responsible for developing and executing federal laws related to farming, forestry, rural economic development, ...
(USDA) (2007)
USDA Plants Profile: ''Centrosema''
Retrieved 2007-DEC-17.
Phaseoleae
Fabaceae genera
{{Phaseoleae-stub