Centrosema virginianum has different common names such as Virginian Centro, wild blue vine, blue bell, and wild pea.^[1] C. virginianum is a member of the Fabaceae family, it is identify by its trailing and twining vine ^[2]. The stems are tender and small in proportion to its height. C. virginianum habitats are in pine lands and coastal uplands^[2] .

Morphology

Centrosema virginianum are perennial and herbaceous vine ^[3]a couple meters in length; stems are approximately 29 to 160 centimeters long ^[1]. It has three alternate pinnately leaves, 3 to 10 centimeters long. C. virginianum stipules are lanceolate or ovate, 1 to 4 mm long ^[1], and the petiole are identify to be 2 to 5 cm long. C. virginianum is often deciduous, however it is mostly setaceous ^[1]. There is a wide range of leaflets from linear to ovate to oblong or lanceolate-oblong, acute or acuminate at the apex ^[1].C. virginianum produces abundant flowers, between early August and late September ^[3]

Distribution

C. virginianum are present more or less constant from Uruguay and northern Argentina to the eastern United States found in places such as Texas^[1][2]. In addition, it is found in tropical and subtropical areas^[1]. Lastly, it is wide distributed throughout West Indies and has become naturalized in tropical West Africa^[1].

Flowers

Flowers of Centrosema virginianum, are highly specialized in an inverted flag adapted by pollinators ^[3]. A group of flowers of one to four flowers on axillary penducle, calyx deeply five-lobed, and the acute lobes longer than the tube^[1].The corolla purplish or lavender-blue close to white ^[1], it contains four to ten dark or brown seeds ^[1]. The diversity of leaflets and corolla size, color and shape often are confused with C. pubescens ^[1]. Lastly, C. virginianum flowers are known to be hermaphrodite and are pollinated by bees, additionally they contribute to nitrogen fixing^[4] .

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h i j k l} "CentrosemaVirginianum". http://www.fao.org/ag/AGP/AGPC/doc/Gbase/DATA/PF000020.HTM. Retrieved 18 April 2012. 
2. ^ ^{a b c} "IRC-Natives for your Neighborhood". http://www.regionalconservation.org/beta/nfyn/plantdetail.asp?tx=centvirg. Retrieved 18 April 2012. 
3. ^ ^{a b c} "Island and Mainland Pollination Ecology of Centrosema Virginianum and Opuntia Stricta". http://www.jstor.org/stable/2260423. Retrieved 30 April 2012. 
4. ^ Benth., L.. "Plants for the future". http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Centrosema+virginianum. Retrieved 18 April 2012.