258 A FLORA OP MANILA 



purple flowers. Petioles 8 to 12 cm long. Leaflets subcoriaceous, broadly 

 obovate-elliptic, 8 to 15 cm long, nearly as wide, the base usually acute, 

 apex broad and rounded or retuse. Scapes erect, 20 to 40 cm high, bear- 

 ing near.; the apex few, paired, racemosly arranged flowers about 4 cm 

 long. Calyx 2-lipped, the upper lip large, broadly 2-lobed, the lower one 

 small, subtruncate, 3-toothed. Standard 3 cm wide, retuse. Pod 8 to 12 

 cm long, 2.3 to 3 cm wide, somewhat turgid when mature. 



Pasay beach, fl. Aug.-March; throughout the Philippines along the 

 seashore. Tropics of the world.- 



3. C. ensiformis (L.) DC. 



A scandent herbaceous or suffrutescent vine reaching a length of from 

 2 to 5 m, nearly glabrous, or some parts more or less pubescent. Leaflets 

 narrowly ovate to oblong-ovate, acuminate or acute, base usually rounded, 

 ^ to 16 cm long. Racemes axillary, solitary, up to 40 cm long, flowering 

 only near the apex, only 2 or 3 flowers open at a time. Flowers nearly 

 sessile, reflexed. Calyx green, about 1.5 cm long, the upper lip cleft into 

 2 broad lobes, the lower reduced to 3 small teeth. Corolla pink, about 

 3.5 cm long. Pod 14 to 17 cm long, 2 to 2.5 cm wide, flattened, not turgid, 

 8 to 10 mm thick along the upper suture, containing about 15 seeds. 



In thickets, Masambong, fl. Nov.-March; widely distributed in the Phil- 

 ippines, some forms cultivated. Tropics generally, wild and cultivated. 



*4. C. GLADIATA (Jacq.) DC. Haba (Sp.-Fil.). 



A glabrous vine reaching a length of several meters. Leaflets ovate, 

 somewhat acuminate, 8 to 15 cm long. Racemes axillary, long-peduncled, 

 tew-flowe.red. Flowers white, turning pink,' about 3 cm long. Pods large, 

 narrowly-oblong, somewhat curved,. 25 to 35 cm long, 4 to 5 cm wide. Seeds 

 red. (Fl. Filipi. pi. U9.) 



Occasionally cultivated. Not common in the Philippines and only cul- 

 tivated; undoubtedly native of tropical America, now wild or cultivated in 

 many hot countries. 



50. CENTROSEMA DeCandolle 



Scandent herbaceous vines with 3-foliolate leaves, the stipules persistent, 

 basifixed. Flowers rather large and showy, in axillary racemes, the bracts 

 and bracteoles persistent. Calyx shortly campanulate, the lobes or teeth 

 subequal, or the upper 2 connate. Corolla much exserted. Standard broadly 

 orbicular, longer than the wings. Stamens usually diadelphous. Ovary 

 subsessile, many-ovuled; style somewhat enlarged upward, incurved. Pods 

 linear, the valves long:itudinally 2-ribbed. (Greek "spur" and "standard.") 



Species about 26, all American, 1 introduced here. 



I. C. PLUMiERi (Turp.) Benth. 



A twining, herbaceous vine, from a woody base, reaching a length of 

 5 m or more, glabrous or nearly so. Leaflets ovate, shortly acuminate, 5 

 to 15 cm long, entire. Racemes axillary, solitary, few-flowered. Flowers 

 ^ to 5 cm long, white, the center magenta. Pods 10 to 15 cm long, about 

 1 cm wide, long-acuminate, prominently longitudinally 2-ribbed along each 

 valve. (Fl. Filip. pi. i-SS, Clitorea plumieri.) 



In thickets near the Balicbalic cemetery; not common in the Philippines 

 and doubtfully spontaneous. A native of South America, introduced and 

 now spontaneous in Malaya. 



