Syn.: Bradburya plumieri (Pers.) Kuntze, Centrosema plumeri (Turpin) Benth., orth. var., Clitoria plumieri Pers., Cruminium giganteum Desv.
Family: Fabaceae Lindl.
Distribution: Neotropical species – from southern Mexico through Panama and Venezuela to Brazil and Paraguay. Introduced also in tropical Africa, Asia and northern Australia.
Ecology: It grows in tropical forests and in secondary vegetation. Blooms from September to March.
Description: Vine with glabrous or slightly pilose stem. Leaves 3-foliolate, 7.5–20(–28) cm long; stipules 0.4–1 cm long; petioles 1.9–9.5 cm; leaflets 4–14 cm long, 2–8 cm wide, ovate to slightly rhombic, glabrous above, slightly indumented below. Inflorescences axillary, several flowers, up to 7 cm long; flowers 3.5–5 cm long, white with purple center, wings white with purplish apex, glabrous; calyx tubular, 0.7–1 cm long, wider than long, teeth to 3 mm long. The fruit is a legume, up to 20 cm long, 0.7–0.8 cm wide, sparsely adpressed pubescent.
These images were taken in Guatemala, El Remate (by Jindřiška Vančurová, February 15, 2015) and Belize, Orange Walk (February 20, 2015).
