Taxon: Clitoria ternatea L.

Summary

Genus:

Clitoria

Family:

Fabaceae (alt. Leguminosae)

Subfamily:

Faboideae

Tribe:

Phaseoleae

Subtribe:

Clitoriinae

Nomen number:

10942

Place of publication:

Sp. pl. 2:753. 1753

Typification:

View in Linnean Typification Project

Verified:

10/08/1988 ARS Systematic Botanists.

Accessions:

59 (26 active, 26 available) in National Plant Germplasm System. (Map it)

Other conspecific taxa

Autonyms (not in current use), synonyms and invalid designations

Heterotypic Synonym(s)
Clitoria albiflora Mattei
Clitoria bracteata Poir.
Clitoria mearnsii De Wild.
Clitoria tanganicensis Micheli
Clitoria zanzibarensis Vatke

Images (1 total. Click on image for more.)

Conservation Status

Reference(s)

Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. Flora of the West Indies (on-line resource).
Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)
APHIS. Agricultural Risk Management System United States Department of Agriculture.
Aubréville, A. et al., eds. 1960-. Flore du Cambodge du Laos et du Viet-Nam.
Brunel, J. F. et al., eds. 1984. Flore analytique du Togo. Phanerogames
Burkart, A. E. 1952. Las leguminosas Argentinas - silvestres y cultivadas, ed. 2.
CalFlora Database Project. CalFlora: a botanical resource for California on the internet (on-line resource).
Du Puy, D. J. et al. 2002. The Leguminosae of Madagascar
Duke, J. A. 1981. Handbook of legumes of world economic importance
Encke, F. et al. 1984. Zander: Handwörterbuch der Pflanzennamen, 13. Auflage
Fantz, P. R. 1989. pers. comm.
Fantz, P. R. 1993. Revising the classification of cultivated Centrosema and Clitoria in the United States. HortScience 28:676.
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). 2010. Ecocrop (on-line resource).
Forzza, R. C. et al., coord. Lista de espécies da flora do Brasil (on-line resource).
France, F. M., ed. 2021. Ethnobotany of the mountain regions of Soueast Asia Springer Nature, Switzerland. 1:317-322.
Groth, D. 2005. pers. comm. Note: re. Brazilian common names
Hacker, J. B. 1990. A guide to herbaceous and shrub legumes of Queensland University of Queensland Press, St. Lucia, Australia.
Howard, R. 1974-1989. Flora of the lesser Antilles.
Huang, S. F. & T. C. Huang. 1987. Taxonomic treatment of the Papilionoideae (Leguminosae) of Taiwan. Taiwania 32:11-117.
Huxley, A., ed. 1992. The new Royal Horticultural Society dictionary of gardening
Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry. Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER): plant threats to Pacific ecosystems (on-line resource).
Integrated Botanical Information System (IBIS). Australian plant common name database (on-line resource).
International Legume Database & Information Service. International Legume Database and Information Service (on-line resource).
Keay, R. W. J. & F. N. Hepper. 1953-1972. Flora of west tropical Africa, ed. 2.
Kumar, S & P. V. Sane. 2003. Legumes of South Asia: a checklist.
Kunkel, G. 1984. Plants for human consumption Note: = Clitoria ternata
Lewis, G. P. 1987. Legumes of Bahia
Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium. 1976. Hortus third. A concise dictionary of plants cultivated in the United States and Canada
Liogier, H. A. & L. F. Martorell. 1982. Flora of Puerto Rico and adjacent islands: a systematic synopsis.
Lock, J. M. & C. S. Ford. 2004. Legumes of Malesia: a checklist
Lock, J. M. & J. Heald. 1994. Legumes of Indochina: a checklist
Lock, J. M. & K. Simpson. 1991. Legumes of West Asia: a checklist
Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
Mabberley, D. J. 1997. The plant-book: a portable dictionary of the vascular plants, ed. 2
Macbride, J. F. et al., eds. 1936-. Flora of Peru Note: 1936-1971; new ser. 1980-
Matthew, K. M. 1983. The flora of the Tamilnadu Carnatic.
McGuffin, M., J. T. Kartesz, A. Y. Leung, & A. O. Tucker. 2000. Herbs of commerce, ed. 2 American Herbal Products Association, Silver Spring, Maryland.
McVaugh, R. 1983-. Flora Novo-Galiciana.
Missouri Botanical Garden. Flora of Mesoamerica Checklist (on-line resource).
Oguis, G. K. et al. 2019. Butterfly-pea (Clitoria ternatea), a cyclotide-bearing plant with applications in agriculture and medicine. Front. Plant Sci. 10:645. DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2019.00645.
Personal Care Products Council. International Nomenclature Cosmetic Ingredient
Pulle, A. A. et al., eds. 1932-. Flora of Suriname.
Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
't Mannetje, L. & R. M. Jones, eds. 1992. Forages. In: Faridah Hanum, I. & L. J. G. van der Maesen, eds., Plant Resources of South-East Asia (PROSEA) 4:94.
Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa.
Verdcourt, B. 1979. A manual of New Guinea legumes.
Woodson, R. E. & R. W. Schery, eds. 1943-1980. Flora of Panama.
Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
Wunderlin, R. & B. Hansen. Atlas of Florida vascular plants (on-line resource).

Common names

Language	Name	seq	Citation
English	bluebellvine	1	Integrated Botanical Information System (IBIS). Australian plant common name database (on-line resource).
English	blue-pea	1	Mabberley, D. J. 1997. The plant-book: a portable dictionary of the vascular plants, ed. 2
English	butterfly-pea	1	Wiersema, J. H. & B. León. 1999. World economic plants: a standard reference CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL.
English	cordofan-pea	1	Duke, J. A. 1981. Handbook of legumes of world economic importance
English	Darwin-pea	1	Integrated Botanical Information System (IBIS). Australian plant common name database (on-line resource).
French	honte	2	Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
German	blaue Klitorie	2	Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
Portuguese	clitória-azul	2	Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
Portuguese (Brazil)	clitória	2	Groth, D. 2005. pers. comm. Note: re. Brazilian common names
Spanish	azulejo	2	Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
Spanish	conchitas	2	Liogier, H. A. & L. F. Martorell. 1982. Flora of Puerto Rico and adjacent islands: a systematic synopsis.
Spanish	papito	2	Fantz, P. R. 1993. Revising the classification of cultivated Centrosema and Clitoria in the United States. HortScience 28:676.
Spanish	zapatico de la reina	2	Fantz, P. R. 1993. Revising the classification of cultivated Centrosema and Clitoria in the United States. HortScience 28:676.
Spanish	zapotillo	2	Fantz, P. R. 1993. Revising the classification of cultivated Centrosema and Clitoria in the United States. HortScience 28:676.
Swedish	himmelsärt	2	Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)
Transcribed Chinese	die dou	2	Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).

Distribution

order_code	Status	Continent	Subcontinent	Country	State	Note	Reference
2	Cultivated					widely cult.
4	Naturalized	Africa	East Tropical Africa	Kenya			Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
4	Naturalized	Africa	East Tropical Africa	Tanzania			Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
4	Naturalized	Africa	East Tropical Africa	Uganda			Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
4	Naturalized	Africa	Macaronesia	Cabo Verde			Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
4	Naturalized	Africa	Northeast Tropical Africa	Chad			International Legume Database & Information Service. International Legume Database and Information Service (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Africa	Northeast Tropical Africa	Djibouti			International Legume Database & Information Service. International Legume Database and Information Service (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Africa	Northeast Tropical Africa	Ethiopia			Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
4	Naturalized	Africa	Northeast Tropical Africa	Somalia			Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
4	Naturalized	Africa	Northeast Tropical Africa	Sudan			Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
4	Naturalized	Africa	South Tropical Africa	Angola			Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
4	Naturalized	Africa	South Tropical Africa	Malawi			Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
4	Naturalized	Africa	South Tropical Africa	Mozambique			Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
4	Naturalized	Africa	South Tropical Africa	Zambia			Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
4	Naturalized	Africa	South Tropical Africa	Zimbabwe			International Legume Database & Information Service. International Legume Database and Information Service (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Africa	Southern Africa	South Africa			Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
4	Naturalized	Africa	West Tropical Africa	Benin			Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
4	Naturalized	Africa	West Tropical Africa	Côte D'Ivoire			International Legume Database & Information Service. International Legume Database and Information Service (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Africa	West Tropical Africa	Gambia			Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
4	Naturalized	Africa	West Tropical Africa	Ghana			Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
4	Naturalized	Africa	West Tropical Africa	Guinea			Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
4	Naturalized	Africa	West Tropical Africa	Guinea-Bissau			Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
4	Naturalized	Africa	West Tropical Africa	Niger			Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
4	Naturalized	Africa	West Tropical Africa	Nigeria			Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
4	Naturalized	Africa	West Tropical Africa	Senegal			Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
4	Naturalized	Africa	West Tropical Africa	Sierra Leone			Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
4	Naturalized	Africa	West Tropical Africa	Togo			Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
4	Naturalized	Africa	West-Central Tropical Africa	Burundi			Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
4	Naturalized	Africa	West-Central Tropical Africa	Cameroon			Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
4	Naturalized	Africa	West-Central Tropical Africa	Democratic Republic of the Congo			Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
4	Naturalized	Africa	West-Central Tropical Africa	Gabon			Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
4	Naturalized	Africa	West-Central Tropical Africa	Sao Tome and Principe			Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
4	Naturalized	Africa	Western Indian Ocean	Madagascar			Du Puy, D. J. et al. 2002. The Leguminosae of Madagascar
4	Naturalized	Asia-Temperate	Arabian Peninsula	Saudi Arabia			Lock, J. M. & K. Simpson. 1991. Legumes of West Asia: a checklist
4	Naturalized	Asia-Temperate	Arabian Peninsula	Yemen			Lock, J. M. & K. Simpson. 1991. Legumes of West Asia: a checklist
4	Naturalized	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Fujian Sheng		Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
4	Naturalized	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Guangdong Sheng		Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
4	Naturalized	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Guangxi Zhuangzu Zizhiqu		Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
4	Naturalized	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Hainan Sheng		Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
4	Naturalized	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Yunnan Sheng		Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
4	Naturalized	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Zhejiang Sheng		Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
4	Naturalized	Asia-Temperate	Eastern Asia	Taiwan			Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
4	Naturalized	Asia-Temperate	Western Asia	Iran			Lock, J. M. & K. Simpson. 1991. Legumes of West Asia: a checklist
4	Naturalized	Asia-Temperate	Western Asia	Iraq			Lock, J. M. & K. Simpson. 1991. Legumes of West Asia: a checklist
4	Naturalized	Asia-Tropical	Indian Subcontinent	Bangladesh			Kumar, S & P. V. Sane. 2003. Legumes of South Asia: a checklist.
4	Naturalized	Asia-Tropical	Indian Subcontinent	Bhutan			Kumar, S & P. V. Sane. 2003. Legumes of South Asia: a checklist.
4	Naturalized	Asia-Tropical	Indian Subcontinent	India			Lock, J. M. & J. Heald. 1994. Legumes of Indochina: a checklist
4	Naturalized	Asia-Tropical	Indian Subcontinent	Maldives			Kumar, S & P. V. Sane. 2003. Legumes of South Asia: a checklist.
4	Naturalized	Asia-Tropical	Indian Subcontinent	Nepal			Kumar, S & P. V. Sane. 2003. Legumes of South Asia: a checklist.
4	Naturalized	Asia-Tropical	Indian Subcontinent	Pakistan			Kumar, S & P. V. Sane. 2003. Legumes of South Asia: a checklist.
4	Naturalized	Asia-Tropical	Indian Subcontinent	Sri Lanka			Kumar, S & P. V. Sane. 2003. Legumes of South Asia: a checklist.
4	Naturalized	Asia-Tropical	Indo-China	Cambodia			Lock, J. M. & J. Heald. 1994. Legumes of Indochina: a checklist
4	Naturalized	Asia-Tropical	Indo-China	India	Andaman and Nicobar Islands		Kumar, S & P. V. Sane. 2003. Legumes of South Asia: a checklist.
4	Naturalized	Asia-Tropical	Indo-China	Laos			Lock, J. M. & J. Heald. 1994. Legumes of Indochina: a checklist
4	Naturalized	Asia-Tropical	Indo-China	Myanmar			Lock, J. M. & J. Heald. 1994. Legumes of Indochina: a checklist
4	Naturalized	Asia-Tropical	Indo-China	Thailand			Lock, J. M. & J. Heald. 1994. Legumes of Indochina: a checklist
4	Naturalized	Asia-Tropical	Indo-China	Vietnam			Lock, J. M. & J. Heald. 1994. Legumes of Indochina: a checklist
4	Naturalized	Asia-Tropical	Malesia	Christmas Island			Lock, J. M. & C. S. Ford. 2004. Legumes of Malesia: a checklist
4	Naturalized	Asia-Tropical	Malesia	Indonesia			Lock, J. M. & C. S. Ford. 2004. Legumes of Malesia: a checklist
4	Naturalized	Asia-Tropical	Malesia	Indonesia	Jawa		Lock, J. M. & C. S. Ford. 2004. Legumes of Malesia: a checklist
4	Naturalized	Asia-Tropical	Malesia	Indonesia	Sumatera		Lock, J. M. & C. S. Ford. 2004. Legumes of Malesia: a checklist
4	Naturalized	Asia-Tropical	Malesia	Malaysia			Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
4	Naturalized	Asia-Tropical	Malesia	Malaysia	Sabah		Lock, J. M. & C. S. Ford. 2004. Legumes of Malesia: a checklist
4	Naturalized	Asia-Tropical	Malesia	Philippines			Lock, J. M. & C. S. Ford. 2004. Legumes of Malesia: a checklist
4	Naturalized	Asia-Tropical	Malesia	Singapore			Lock, J. M. & C. S. Ford. 2004. Legumes of Malesia: a checklist
4	Naturalized	Asia-Tropical	Papuasia	Indonesia	Papua		Lock, J. M. & C. S. Ford. 2004. Legumes of Malesia: a checklist
4	Naturalized	Asia-Tropical	Papuasia	Papua New Guinea			Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
4	Naturalized	Asia-Tropical	Papuasia	Solomon Islands			Lock, J. M. & C. S. Ford. 2004. Legumes of Malesia: a checklist
4	Naturalized	Australasia	Australia	Australia			Hacker, J. B. 1990. A guide to herbaceous and shrub legumes of Queensland University of Queensland Press, St. Lucia, Australia.
4	Naturalized	Northern America	North-Central U.S.A.	United States	Illinois		International Legume Database & Information Service. International Legume Database and Information Service (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Northern America	North-Central U.S.A.	United States	Missouri		International Legume Database & Information Service. International Legume Database and Information Service (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Northern Mexico	Mexico	Sinaloa		McVaugh, R. 1983-. Flora Novo-Galiciana.
4	Naturalized	Northern America	South-Central U.S.A.	United States	Texas		International Legume Database & Information Service. International Legume Database and Information Service (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Florida		Wunderlin, R. & B. Hansen. Atlas of Florida vascular plants (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Georgia		International Legume Database & Information Service. International Legume Database and Information Service (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Kentucky		International Legume Database & Information Service. International Legume Database and Information Service (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Colima		McVaugh, R. 1983-. Flora Novo-Galiciana.
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Jalisco		McVaugh, R. 1983-. Flora Novo-Galiciana.
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Oaxaca		McVaugh, R. 1983-. Flora Novo-Galiciana.
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave		McVaugh, R. 1983-. Flora Novo-Galiciana.
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Yucatán		Missouri Botanical Garden. Flora of Mesoamerica Checklist (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Southwestern U.S.A.	United States	California		CalFlora Database Project. CalFlora: a botanical resource for California on the internet (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Pacific	North-Central Pacific	United States	Hawaii		Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry. Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER): plant threats to Pacific ecosystems (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Pacific	Northwestern Pacific	Palau			Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry. Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER): plant threats to Pacific ecosystems (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Pacific	Northwestern Pacific	United States	Guam		Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry. Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER): plant threats to Pacific ecosystems (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Pacific	Northwestern Pacific	United States	Northern Mariana Islands		Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry. Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER): plant threats to Pacific ecosystems (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Pacific	South-Central Pacific	French Polynesia	Society Islands		Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry. Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER): plant threats to Pacific ecosystems (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Pacific	Southwestern Pacific	Fiji			Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry. Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER): plant threats to Pacific ecosystems (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Pacific	Southwestern Pacific	New Caledonia			Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry. Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER): plant threats to Pacific ecosystems (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Pacific	Southwestern Pacific	Samoa			Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry. Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER): plant threats to Pacific ecosystems (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Brazil	Brazil			Forzza, R. C. et al., coord. Lista de espécies da flora do Brasil (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Caribbean	Antigua and Barbuda			International Legume Database & Information Service. International Legume Database and Information Service (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Caribbean	Aruba			International Legume Database & Information Service. International Legume Database and Information Service (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Caribbean	Bahamas			International Legume Database & Information Service. International Legume Database and Information Service (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Caribbean	Barbados			International Legume Database & Information Service. International Legume Database and Information Service (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Caribbean	Cayman Islands			International Legume Database & Information Service. International Legume Database and Information Service (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Caribbean	Cuba			International Legume Database & Information Service. International Legume Database and Information Service (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Caribbean	Dominica			International Legume Database & Information Service. International Legume Database and Information Service (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Caribbean	Dominican Republic			International Legume Database & Information Service. International Legume Database and Information Service (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Caribbean	Guadeloupe			International Legume Database & Information Service. International Legume Database and Information Service (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Caribbean	Haiti			International Legume Database & Information Service. International Legume Database and Information Service (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Caribbean	Jamaica			International Legume Database & Information Service. International Legume Database and Information Service (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Caribbean	Martinique			International Legume Database & Information Service. International Legume Database and Information Service (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Caribbean	Montserrat			International Legume Database & Information Service. International Legume Database and Information Service (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Caribbean	Netherlands Antilles			International Legume Database & Information Service. International Legume Database and Information Service (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Caribbean	St. Kitts and Nevis			International Legume Database & Information Service. International Legume Database and Information Service (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Caribbean	St. Vincent and Grenadines			International Legume Database & Information Service. International Legume Database and Information Service (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Caribbean	United States	Puerto Rico		International Legume Database & Information Service. International Legume Database and Information Service (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Caribbean	United States	Virgin Islands, U.S.		International Legume Database & Information Service. International Legume Database and Information Service (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Caribbean	Virgin Islands (British)			International Legume Database & Information Service. International Legume Database and Information Service (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Central America	Belize			Missouri Botanical Garden. Flora of Mesoamerica Checklist (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Central America	Costa Rica			Missouri Botanical Garden. Flora of Mesoamerica Checklist (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Central America	El Salvador			Missouri Botanical Garden. Flora of Mesoamerica Checklist (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Central America	Guatemala			Missouri Botanical Garden. Flora of Mesoamerica Checklist (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Central America	Honduras			International Legume Database & Information Service. International Legume Database and Information Service (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Central America	Nicaragua			Missouri Botanical Garden. Flora of Mesoamerica Checklist (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Central America	Panama			Missouri Botanical Garden. Flora of Mesoamerica Checklist (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Northern South America	French Guiana			International Legume Database & Information Service. International Legume Database and Information Service (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Northern South America	Suriname			International Legume Database & Information Service. International Legume Database and Information Service (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Northern South America	Venezuela			International Legume Database & Information Service. International Legume Database and Information Service (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Southern South America	Paraguay			International Legume Database & Information Service. International Legume Database and Information Service (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Southern South America	Uruguay			International Legume Database & Information Service. International Legume Database and Information Service (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Western South America	Bolivia			International Legume Database & Information Service. International Legume Database and Information Service (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Western South America	Colombia			International Legume Database & Information Service. International Legume Database and Information Service (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Western South America	Ecuador			International Legume Database & Information Service. International Legume Database and Information Service (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Western South America	Ecuador	Galápagos		Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry. Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER): plant threats to Pacific ecosystems (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Western South America	Peru			International Legume Database & Information Service. International Legume Database and Information Service (on-line resource).
6	Other					exact native range obscure

Cultivated (widely cult.)
Naturalized
Africa

MACARONESIA: Cabo Verde
NORTHEAST TROPICAL AFRICA: Djibouti, Ethiopia, Sudan, Somalia, Chad
EAST TROPICAL AFRICA: Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda
WEST-CENTRAL TROPICAL AFRICA: Burundi, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Sao Tome and Principe
WEST TROPICAL AFRICA: Benin, Côte D'Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo
SOUTH TROPICAL AFRICA: Angola, Mozambique, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe
SOUTHERN AFRICA: South Africa
WESTERN INDIAN OCEAN: Madagascar

Asia-Temperate

ARABIAN PENINSULA: Saudi Arabia, Yemen
WESTERN ASIA: Iran, Iraq
CHINA: China [Fujian Sheng, Guangdong Sheng, Guangxi Zhuangzu Zizhiqu, Hainan Sheng, Yunnan Sheng, Zhejiang Sheng]
EASTERN ASIA: Taiwan

Asia-Tropical

INDIAN SUBCONTINENT: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan
PAPUASIA: Indonesia [Papua], Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands
INDO-CHINA: India [Andaman and Nicobar Islands], Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam
MALESIA: Christmas Island, Indonesia [Jawa, Sumatera], Malaysia [Sabah], Philippines, Singapore

Australasia

AUSTRALIA: Australia

Northern America

NORTH-CENTRAL U.S.A.: United States [Illinois, Missouri]
SOUTHEASTERN U.S.A.: United States [Florida, Georgia, Kentucky]
SOUTH-CENTRAL U.S.A.: United States [Texas]
SOUTHWESTERN U.S.A.: United States [California]
NORTHERN MEXICO: Mexico [Sinaloa]
SOUTHERN MEXICO: Mexico [Colima, Jalisco, Oaxaca, Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave, Yucatán]

Pacific

NORTH-CENTRAL PACIFIC: United States [Hawaii]
NORTHWESTERN PACIFIC: Palau, United States [Guam, Northern Mariana Islands]
SOUTH-CENTRAL PACIFIC: French Polynesia [Society Islands]
SOUTHWESTERN PACIFIC: Fiji, New Caledonia, Samoa

Southern America

CARIBBEAN: Aruba, Netherlands Antilles, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Cuba, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Guadeloupe, Haiti, Jamaica, St. Kitts and Nevis, Montserrat, Martinique, United States [Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, U.S.], St. Vincent and Grenadines, Virgin Islands (British)
CENTRAL AMERICA: Belize, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, El Salvador
NORTHERN SOUTH AMERICA: French Guiana, Suriname, Venezuela
BRAZIL: Brazil
WESTERN SOUTH AMERICA: Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador [Galápagos], Peru
SOUTHERN SOUTH AMERICA: Paraguay, Uruguay

Other (exact native range obscure)

Reference(s)

CalFlora Database Project. CalFlora: a botanical resource for California on the internet (on-line resource).
Du Puy, D. J. et al. 2002. The Leguminosae of Madagascar
Forzza, R. C. et al., coord. Lista de espécies da flora do Brasil (on-line resource).
Hacker, J. B. 1990. A guide to herbaceous and shrub legumes of Queensland University of Queensland Press, St. Lucia, Australia.
Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry. Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER): plant threats to Pacific ecosystems (on-line resource).
International Legume Database & Information Service. International Legume Database and Information Service (on-line resource).
Kumar, S & P. V. Sane. 2003. Legumes of South Asia: a checklist.
Lock, J. M. & C. S. Ford. 2004. Legumes of Malesia: a checklist
Lock, J. M. & J. Heald. 1994. Legumes of Indochina: a checklist
Lock, J. M. & K. Simpson. 1991. Legumes of West Asia: a checklist
Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
McVaugh, R. 1983-. Flora Novo-Galiciana.
Missouri Botanical Garden. Flora of Mesoamerica Checklist (on-line resource).
Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
Wunderlin, R. & B. Hansen. Atlas of Florida vascular plants (on-line resource).

Economic Uses

Usage	Type	Note	Reference
Animal food	fodder	potential	't Mannetje, L. & R. M. Jones, eds. 1992. Forages. In: Faridah Hanum, I. & L. J. G. van der Maesen, eds., Plant Resources of South-East Asia (PROSEA) 4:94.
Animal food	forage		Oguis, G. K. et al. 2019. Butterfly-pea (Clitoria ternatea), a cyclotide-bearing plant with applications in agriculture and medicine. Front. Plant Sci. 10:645. DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2019.00645.
Environmental	ornamental		Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium. 1976. Hortus third. A concise dictionary of plants cultivated in the United States and Canada
Environmental	ornamental		Huxley, A., ed. 1992. The new Royal Horticultural Society dictionary of gardening
Food additives	coloring	potential	Oguis, G. K. et al. 2019. Butterfly-pea (Clitoria ternatea), a cyclotide-bearing plant with applications in agriculture and medicine. Front. Plant Sci. 10:645. DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2019.00645.
Food additives	stabilizer	potential for increasing polyphenolic and antioxidant values of cooked foods	Oguis, G. K. et al. 2019. Butterfly-pea (Clitoria ternatea), a cyclotide-bearing plant with applications in agriculture and medicine. Front. Plant Sci. 10:645. DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2019.00645.
Human food	vegetable	flowers in salads	France, F. M., ed. 2021. Ethnobotany of the mountain regions of Soueast Asia Springer Nature, Switzerland. 1:317-322.
Materials	tannin/dyestuff	purple dye for cotton and silk	France, F. M., ed. 2021. Ethnobotany of the mountain regions of Soueast Asia Springer Nature, Switzerland. 1:317-322.
Medicines	folklore		McGuffin, M., J. T. Kartesz, A. Y. Leung, & A. O. Tucker. 2000. Herbs of commerce, ed. 2 American Herbal Products Association, Silver Spring, Maryland.
Non-vertebrate poisons	plant pest control	commercially available in Australia for use in cotton	Oguis, G. K. et al. 2019. Butterfly-pea (Clitoria ternatea), a cyclotide-bearing plant with applications in agriculture and medicine. Front. Plant Sci. 10:645. DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2019.00645.

Cite as: USDA, Agricultural Research Service, National Plant Germplasm System. 2026. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN Taxonomy). National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland.
URL: https://npgstest.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomydetail?id=10942. Accessed 15 April 2026.