''Clitoria'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nom ...

of mainly tropical and subtropical,

insect Insects (from Latin ') are pancrustacean hexapod invertebrates of the class Insecta. They are the largest group within the arthropod phylum. Insects have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body ( head, thorax and abdomen), three ...

-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 vulva (plural: vulvas or vulvae; derived from Latin for wrapper or covering) consists of the external female sex organs. The vulva includes the mons pubis (or mons veneris), labia majora, labia minora, clitoris, vestibular bulbs, vulv ...

. The first reference to the genus, which includes an illustration of the plant, was made in 1678 by Jakób Breyne, a

Polish Polish may refer to: * Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe * Polish language * Poles Poles,, ; singular masculine: ''Polak'', singular feminine: ''Polka'' or Polish people, are a West Slavic nation and ethnic group, w ...

naturalist, who described it as ''Flos clitoridis ternatensibus'', meaning ' Ternatean flower of the clitoris'. Many vernacular names of these flowers in different languages are similarly based on references to female external genitalia. Controversies existed in the past among botanists regarding the good taste of the naming of the genus. The analogy drew sharp criticism from botanists such as

James Edward Smith James Edward Smith may refer to: * James Edward Smith (botanist), English botanist and founder of the Linnean Society * James Edward Smith (murderer), American murderer * James Edward Smith (politician), Canadian businessman and mayor of Toronto * ...

in 1807,

Amos Eaton Amos Eaton (May 17, 1776 – May 10, 1842) was an American botanist, geologist, and educator who is considered the founder of the modern scientific prospectus in education, which was a radical departure from the American liberal arts tradition of ...

in 1817, Michel Étienne Descourtilz in 1826, and Eaton and

Wright Wright is an occupational surname originating in England. The term 'Wright' comes from the circa 700 AD Old English word 'wryhta' or 'wyrhta', meaning worker or shaper of wood. Later it became any occupational worker (for example, a shipwright i ...

in 1840. Some less explicit alternatives, like ''Vexillaria'' (Eaton 1817) and ''Nauchea'' (Descourtilz 1826), were proposed, but they failed to prosper, and the name ''Clitoria'' has survived to this day.

Species

, Plants of the World Online accepted the following species: *''

Clitoria amazonum ''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 referen ...

'' Mart. ex Benth. *'' Clitoria andrei'' Fantz *'' Clitoria annua'' J.Graham *'' Clitoria arborea'' Benth. *'' Clitoria arborescens'' R.Br. *'' Clitoria australis'' Benth. *''

Clitoria brachycalyx ''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 referen ...

'' Harms *''

Clitoria brachystegia ''Clitoria brachystegia'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae. It is found only in Ecuador. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry forests. References brachystegia ''Brachystegia'' is a genus of tree of the ...

'' Benth. *''

Clitoria canescens ''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 referen ...

'' Pittier ex Fantz *''

Clitoria cavalcantei ''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 ...

'' Fantz *''

Clitoria cearensis ''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 referen ...

'' Huber *''

Clitoria chanondii ''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 referen ...

'' Chuakul *''

Clitoria cordiformis ''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 referen ...

'' Fantz *''

Clitoria cordobensis ''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 ...

'' Burkart *'' Clitoria coriacea'' Schery *'' Clitoria dendrina'' Pittier *'' Clitoria densiflora'' (Benth.) Benth. *'' Clitoria epetiolata'' Burkart *'' Clitoria fairchildiana'' R.A.Howard *'' Clitoria falcata'' Lam. *'' Clitoria flagellaris'' (Benth.) Benth. *'' Clitoria flexuosa'' Fantz *'' Clitoria fragrans'' Small *'' Clitoria froesii'' Fantz *'' Clitoria glaberrima'' Pittier *''

Clitoria guianensis ''Clitoria guianensis '' is a plant of the genus ''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 ...

'' (Aubl.) Benth. *'' Clitoria hanceana'' Hemsl. *'' Clitoria hermannii'' Fantz *''

Clitoria heterophylla ''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 ...

'' Lam. *'' Clitoria humilis'' Rose *'' Clitoria irwinii'' Fantz *'' Clitoria javanica'' Miq. *'' Clitoria javitensis'' (Kunth) Benth. *'' Clitoria juninensis'' Fantz *'' Clitoria kaessneri'' Harms *'' Clitoria kaieteurensis'' Fantz *'' Clitoria lasciva'' Bojer ex Benth. *'' Clitoria laurifolia'' Poir. *'' Clitoria leptostachya'' Benth. *'' Clitoria linearis'' Gagnep. *''

Clitoria macrophylla ''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 referen ...

'' Wall. ex Benth. *'' Clitoria magentea'' Fantz *'' Clitoria mariana'' L. *'' Clitoria mexicana'' Link *'' Clitoria monticola'' Brandegee *''

Clitoria moyobambensis ''Clitoria moyobambensis'' is a species of legume in the family Fabaceae. It is found only in Peru , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg , other_symbol = Great Se ...

'' Fantz *'' Clitoria mucronulata'' Benth. *'' Clitoria nana'' Benth. *'' Clitoria nervosa'' Herzog *'' Clitoria obidensis'' Huber *'' Clitoria pendens'' Fantz *'' Clitoria pilosula'' Wall. ex Benth. *'' Clitoria plumosa'' Fantz *'' Clitoria polystachya'' Benth. *'' Clitoria pozuzoensis'' J.F.Macbr. *'' Clitoria sagotii'' Fantz *''

Clitoria selloi ''Clitoria'' is a genus of mainly tropical and subtropical, insect-pollinated flowering Faboideae, 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 firs ...

'' Benth. *'' Clitoria simplicifolia'' (Kunth) Benth. *'' Clitoria snethlageae'' Ducke *'' Clitoria speciosa'' Cav. *'' Clitoria steyermarkii'' Fantz *'' Clitoria stipularis'' Benth. *''

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, ...

'' L. *'' Clitoria triflora'' S.Watson *'' Clitoria tunuhiensis'' Fantz *'' Clitoria woytkowskii'' Fantz

Distribution

These plants are native to tropical, subtropical and temperate areas of the world, from western North America east to Australia.

Uses

The most widely known species of the genus is ''

'', also known as butterfly pea. It is used as an herbal medicine, and it is used as food, as well. Its roots are used in

ayurveda Ayurveda () is an alternative medicine system with historical roots in the Indian subcontinent. The theory and practice of Ayurveda is pseudoscientific. Ayurveda is heavily practiced in India and Nepal, where around 80% of the population rep ...

Hindu medicine.

Gallery

Image:Clitoria MS4124.JPG, The shape of the ''Clitoria'' flowers has inspired the name of the genus File:Clitoria (447419053).jpg, '' Clitoria mariana'' flower File:Neel Aporajita (Clitoria ternatea) in Shantinagar, Dhaka.jpg, ''

'', known as ''Neel Aporajita'' in

Bangladesh Bangladesh (}, ), officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the eighth-most populous country in the world, with a population exceeding 165 million people in an area of . Bangladesh is among the mos ...

File:Khao tom-dok anchan53.JPG, Thai '' Khao tom'' sweet colored blue with ''Clitoria ternatea'' flowers File:Blue tea.jpg, Clitoria tea

Taxonomy

Naming of the genus

Species

Distribution

Uses

Gallery

See also

References

Further reading