b 



fT r 



: 'rjJT-i* - V 



200 



CONTRTBUTTONS FROM THE NATIONAL HERBARIUM. 



compressed, with incrassate sutures, 2-valved, valvetj wiili a proiiiinenl luTve on both 

 sides near the margin, or winged near the lower suture; t^<'edsol)liriuelyohlong. — Twin- 

 ing or prostrate herljK or undershruhs; heaves pinnate; h*aflets 3, ran'ly [, 5, or 7, some- 

 times so close together that they app(^ar digitate; stipules persistent, striate; flowers 

 showy, often large, whitish, rose-colored, violet, or bluish, on axillary peduncles, 1 to 

 numerous; lower bracts of the samejornias the stipules, in pairs or connate above, 

 bearing 1 or 2 flowers in the axils; bracteolesappressed to the calyx, striate, larger than 

 the bracts. 



Th(^ g(^nus Centrosema strongly resembles Clitoria in habit, Init <:'an Ix? distinguished 

 from it l)y the spurred standard and the much shorter calyx. 



1. C, j^J^f'f^i^ 



2. C puhesceiis. 



KEY TO THE SPECIES. 



Upper calyx segments much shorter than the tube. 



Leaves Ifi to 27.5 cm. long, turning l^lack in drying; terminal 

 leaflet 8.5 to 12 cm. h)ng, broadly ovate; bracteoles ovate, 

 twice as long as the calyx ;*T'alyx teeth very short, unequal; 

 pod 15 cm. long, 11 to 13 mm. wide; ribs of the legume 

 valves prominulous, 3.3 nun. distant from the margin; 

 corolla white, variegated with bright purple and yt^low. 

 Upper calyx segments longer, rarely a little shorter, than the tube. 

 The upp(T calyx segments equal to the tube, connect (h1 below 

 the summitj inferior calyx lobe longer than the tube; leaf- 

 lets 5 to 7.5 cm. long, 2.5 to 3.7 cm. wide, ovate; bracteoles 

 ovate, as long as the calyx; pod 5 to G.5 mm. wide, the ribs' 

 of the legume valves 2.2 nun. from the margin. 

 Thv uj)per calyx segments longer iban the tube, free or con- 

 nate at the base; leaflets 3.5 to 5 cm. long, 1.8 to 2.5 cm. 

 wide; bracteoles ovate, somewhat exceeded by th(^ calyx; 

 pod 4.4 mm. wide; ribs of the legume valves juxtamarginal. 3. C, vinjhdanum. 



1. Centrosema plumieri (Turp,") Benth." 



(Url>an, 300.) 



Stem twining, suffrutescent at the base; peduncle 2 or 3- (rarely 5 or 6-) flowered; 

 calyx G.5 mm. long; standard s]>urred above the calyx, 4 cm. in diamt^ter, orbicular; 

 wings narrowly oblong, falcate, shorter than the standard; keel large, broader and 

 shorter than the wings; h^gunie 15 cm. long, 1.3 cm. wide, erect or sbghtly curved. 



Near Bayamon in thickets. — Cuba, Jamaica, Haiti, St, Thomas, St. Kitts(Grisebach), 

 Antigua, Martinique, St. Vincent, Grenada, Trinidad (Grisebach). Indigenous in 

 tropical America. 



Centrosema phfimeri is commrm on fences in the West Indies. The leaflets and 

 flowers are larger than those of the other two species of Centrosema found in Portt) Rico. 

 The roots contain n volatil*^ oil and a resin that is nuich uned in popular medicine. 



Local name, conchila dc Plumur (Cook and Collins). 



2^ Centrosenia pubescens Benlh.i* 



(Urban, 300.) 



Stem twining; flowers few, at tin* apex of the peduncle, yellow; calyx 0.5 lo 11 mm- 

 deep; standanl 2.5 cm. in dian^et<T; keel wide, incurved; pod 15 to 20 cm. long, 3 tt) 

 6.5 mm. wiele. 



"Cook and Collins, p. 94, as Bradhifrt/a 'phimini, 

 ^Cook an<l Collins, p. 94, as Bradhuryn pfibescens 



