Centrosema virginianum
(L.) Benth.
Fabaceae
Bradburya biflora (Benth.) Kuntze
Bradburya conjugata (Lehm.) Kuntze
Bradburya decumbens (C.Mart.) Kuntze
Bradburya virginiana (L.) Kuntze
Centrosema biflorum Benth.
Centrosema decumbens C.Mart.
Centrosema decumbens Mart.
Centrosema micranthum Steud.
Centrosema scabriusculum Hassk.
Clitoria alabamensis Bertol.
Clitoria amoena Roth
Clitoria gemina Vell.
Clitoria gladiata Schrank
Clitoria virginiana L.
Cruminium virginianum (L.) Britton
Glycine pugiunculus Desv.
Steganotropis conjugata Lehm.
Common Name:
Flowering plant
Photograph by: Eleanor
General Information
Centrosema virginianum is a perennial, climbing plant producing slender, herbaceous stems 30 - 160cm long. The stems scramble over the ground and twine into the surrounding vegetation[
310- Title
- Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://proseanet.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
,
375- Title
- Grassland Species - Profiles
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.fao.org/ag/AGP/AGPC/doc/Gbase/Default.htm
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Terse information on over 650 species of plants that grow in grassland, including trees, shrubs and perennial plants as well as grasses. Gives a brief description of the plant, its range and habitat and some of its uses.
]. In Puerto Rico the plant is described as a slightly woody vine, twining, with stems attainig 6 - 7 metres in length[
648- Title
- Contributions from the United States National Herbarium. Vol. 51
- Publication
-
- Author
- Acevedo-Rodríguez P. (Editor)
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Smithsonian Institution; Washington.
- Year
- 2005
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A treatment of the climbing plants of Puerto Rico. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
The plant is grown as a green manure crop and soil stabilizer. It has some value as an ornamental[
310- Title
- Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://proseanet.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
648- Title
- Contributions from the United States National Herbarium. Vol. 51
- Publication
-
- Author
- Acevedo-Rodríguez P. (Editor)
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Smithsonian Institution; Washington.
- Year
- 2005
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A treatment of the climbing plants of Puerto Rico. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
Range
S. America - Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Surinam; C. America - Costa Rica to Mexico; Caribbean to southern N. America
Habitat
Disturbed areas such as roadsides, fences, and pastures, in thickets and dry forests, often near the coast[
648- Title
- Contributions from the United States National Herbarium. Vol. 51
- Publication
-
- Author
- Acevedo-Rodríguez P. (Editor)
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Smithsonian Institution; Washington.
- Year
- 2005
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A treatment of the climbing plants of Puerto Rico. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
Properties
| Other Uses Rating |  |
| Habit | Perennial |
| Height | 1.00 m |
| Pollinators | Insects |
| Cultivation Status | Cultivated, Ornamental |
Cultivation Details
Centrosema virginianum is mainly found in the seasonal to semi-arid tropics and in the subtropics, it is rarely found in the humid tropics. Selections from the lowland tropics require high temperatures, growth being reduced when the night temperature falls below 16°c. Some selections from tropical highlands or the subtropics can survive light frosts[
310- Title
- Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://proseanet.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
,
375- Title
- Grassland Species - Profiles
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.fao.org/ag/AGP/AGPC/doc/Gbase/Default.htm
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Terse information on over 650 species of plants that grow in grassland, including trees, shrubs and perennial plants as well as grasses. Gives a brief description of the plant, its range and habitat and some of its uses.
].
The plant has been grown in both moderately acid sandy soils (pH 5.3 to 5.5) and alkaline clays (pH 6.5 increasing to 9 at depth)[
310- Title
- Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://proseanet.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].
The plant can flower and produce fruit all year round[
648- Title
- Contributions from the United States National Herbarium. Vol. 51
- Publication
-
- Author
- Acevedo-Rodríguez P. (Editor)
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Smithsonian Institution; Washington.
- Year
- 2005
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A treatment of the climbing plants of Puerto Rico. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria; these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[
755- Title
- Nodulation Plants in GRIN Taxonomy
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.ars-grin.gov/~sbmljw/cgi-bin/taxnodul.pl?language=en
- Publisher
- United States Department of Agriculture
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An online database listing plants that have either positive or negative reports on root and stem nodulation with nitrogen-fixing bacteria.
]. The plant nodulates well with commercial centro (Centrosema pubescens) rhizobium[
310- Title
- Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://proseanet.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
,
375- Title
- Grassland Species - Profiles
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.fao.org/ag/AGP/AGPC/doc/Gbase/Default.htm
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Terse information on over 650 species of plants that grow in grassland, including trees, shrubs and perennial plants as well as grasses. Gives a brief description of the plant, its range and habitat and some of its uses.
].
Cultivars have been developed in Australia as alternatives for siratro (Macroptilium atropurpureum)[
310- Title
- Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://proseanet.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].
Edible Uses
None known
Medicinal
None known
Agroforestry Uses:
The plant is grown as a green manure and cover crop for erosion control[
310- Title
- Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://proseanet.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].
Other Uses
None known
Propagation
Seed -
If you have any useful information about this plant, please leave a comment. Comments have to be approved before they are shown here.
Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
