M i 



J ■ 



PERKINS THE LEGUMINOSAE OF PORTO RICO. 199 



St. Kitts, Antigua (Grisebacli), Ciiiadeloupe, Dominica, Martinique, St. Vincent, Bar- 

 bi^rlop (Gi'i.^ebach), Gr<^nada, Tobago, ^Margarita. Native country probably oast Africa 

 (Bontham), 



Local names, bejuco de concJiitas, papito. 



Two of the Clitoria species found in Porto Rico are climbing plants, C. ternalea and 

 C. rubiginosa. The former, lioweverj has iinparipinnato heaves, 2 or 3-jugate leaflets, 

 blue nnd white resupinate {lowers, and large bracteoh^s, while the latter has trifoliolate 

 leaves, and a pod with a prominulous midrib, a peculiarity that rarely occurs. 



The third f'litoria species, C, launjolia, is an erect shrubj with a racemose influres- 

 cencCj while the peduncle of C. ternatea and C. ruhiginosa haa 1, or at most 3, fl(Avers. 

 The roots, leaves, and seeds have emetic properties and are used in popular medicines, 

 while the flowers are often employed to color viands and Ix^verages blue. 



C. ternatea is widely distributed in the Tnj])ics, and is cultivated in the glass houses 

 of colder countries on accoimt of its showy flow(Ts. 



2. Clitoria rubiginosa Jusa. 



(Urban, 2SM).) 



Stem twining; leaflets ovate-oblong, acute, villous or sericeous below, 3*to 10 cm. 

 long, 1.5 to 3 cm. l)road; peduncle 3 or fewer-flowered, 4 to 13 cm, long; flower large, 

 purph'- variegated; bracteoles ovate-oblong, 3 ttr A times exceeded by the calyx tube; 

 calyx 2 to 5 cm. long; calyx lobes lanceolate, acuminate, almost one-half the length of 

 the tube; standard 5.5 cm. long; legume 3.5 to 5 cm. long, 1 vm. wi({c, conv(^x, each 

 valve usually with a prominent midrib, glabrescent; seeds globose. 



Near iJayamon on hedges; between Aguas Buenas and Caguas along roads; near 

 Cayey, at Oampito; near Salinas de Cabo R(tjo on the edge of the forests; near Maya- 

 gucz, on the ^ides of Mount Mesa; near Aguada, in the forests at Piedra Blanca. — Cuba 

 (Grisebacli), Jamaica (do.), Haiti, Guadeloupe, Martinique, St. Vincent, Tobago, 

 Trinidad (Grisebach). Widely distributed in tropical America. 



Local name, Jlor tie pUo. 



3. Clitoria laurifolia Poir- 



(Urban, 300.) 



Stem erect, herbaceous, pubescent, 30 to (JO cm, high; leaflets 3, oblcnig, rarely more 

 than 7.5 cm. long; apex very obtuse, retust*, or emaiginate, pubescent beneath; pedun- 

 cle 1 or2-flowered; bracteoles ovate, much exceedc^d liy the calyx; flowers white; cal\"X 

 about 2.4 to 2.8 cm. long, silky-pubescent, rar(^ly glabnms; teeth ovate-lanceolate, 

 acute or acuminate, 0.8 to 1 cm long, the ui>i)er more or loss connate, the lowest longtT 

 and acuminate; corolla about 5 cm. long; legume 2.5 to 0.25 cm. long, stipitate, with a 

 prominent midrib, rarely <lestitutc of it; sfMnls ovoid-globose. 



Near Bayamon in sandy soil, near Dorado in plains near the coast.-^Ouba, Haiti 

 (l>(^ntham), Trinidad. Tropical South America. 



53. CENTROSEMA Benth. 



Bradhunja Haf. FL Ludov. 101. 1817. 



Centrosema Bknth. Ann. Wien. Mus. 2: 117. 1838, 



Calyx shortly campanulate, the segments subequal, the two upper sometimes con- 

 nate; standard l)roadly orbicular, spurred on the back over the short, arched, compli- 

 cate claw, rarely with a more or less distinct gibber (tubercle); wing.'^ arcuate, obo- 

 vate; keel hardly shorter (lian tlie wings, wide, inflexed; upper stamen free or more 

 or less connate with the others; ovary subsessile, multiovulate; style inflexed,. more 

 or less dilated at the apex; stigma terminal, slightly bearded; pod subsessile, linear, 



