Taxon: Stylosanthes capitata Vogel

Summary

Genus:

Stylosanthes

Family:

Fabaceae (alt. Leguminosae)

Subfamily:

Faboideae

Tribe:

Dalbergieae

Nomen number:

35873

Place of publication:

Linnaea 12:70. 1838

Verified:

02/06/2015 ARS Systematic Botanists.

Accessions:

1 (0 active, 0 available) in National Plant Germplasm System. (Map it)

Other conspecific taxa

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

No images

Conservation Status

Reference(s)

Calles, T. & R. Schultze-Kraft. 2010. Stylosanthes (Leguminosae, Dalbergieae) of Venezuela. Willdenowia 40:319-323.
Costa, L. C. da et al. 2008. Estudo taxonômico de Stylosanthes (Leguminosae–Papilionoideae–Dalbergieae) em Mato Grosso do Sul, Brasil. Rodriguésia 59:553-554.
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). Note: accessed September 2022
Instituto de Botánica Darwinion. 2008. Flora del Conosur. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares.
Lewis, G. P. 1987. Legumes of Bahia
Mohlenbrock, R. H. 1957. A revision of the genus Stylosanthes. Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 44:308.
Mohlenbrock, R. H. 1963. Further considerations in Stylosanthes (Leguminosae). Rhodora 65:246.
Nascimento, M. S. C. B. et al. 2018. Stylosanthes capitata. Erva-de-ovelha. In: Coradin, L. et al., Espécies nativas da flora brasileira de valor econômico atual ou potencial: plantas para o futuro: região Nordeste 606-612. Note: locally used in Brazil, with potential for areas with seasonal precipitatio
Santos-Garcia, M. O. et al. 2011. Mating systems in tropical forages: Stylosanthes capitata Vog. and Stylosanthes guianensis (Aubl.) Sw. Euphytica 178:185-193. Note: Netherlands journal of plant breeding
Sousa Costa, N. M. & M. B. Ferreira. 1984. Some Brazilian species of Stylosanthes. In: Stace, H. M. & L. A. Edye, eds., The biology and agronomy of Stylosanthes 25.
Steyermark, J. A. et al., eds. 1995-. Flora of the Venezuelan Guayana. Note: Missouri Botanical Garden & Timber Press
'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) 4:209.
't Mannetje, L. 1984. Considerations on the taxonomy of the genus Stylosanthes. In: Stace, H. M. & L. A. Edye, eds., The biology and agronomy of Stylosanthes 7. Note: mentions
Williams, R. J. et al. 1984. Natural distribution of Stylosanthes. In: Stace, H. M. & L. A. Edye, eds., The biology and agronomy of Stylosanthes 91.

Common names

Language	Name	Alternate name	note	seq	Citation
Portuguese (Brazil)	erva-de-ovelha			2	Nascimento, M. S. C. B. et al. 2018. Stylosanthes capitata. Erva-de-ovelha. In: Coradin, L. et al., Espécies nativas da flora brasileira de valor econômico atual ou potencial: plantas para o futuro: região Nordeste 606-612. Note: locally used in Brazil, with potential for areas with seasonal precipitatio

Distribution

order_code	Status	Continent	Subcontinent	Country	State	Reference
1	Native	Southern America	Brazil	Brazil	Bahia	Costa, L. C. da et al. 2008. Estudo taxonômico de Stylosanthes (Leguminosae–Papilionoideae–Dalbergieae) em Mato Grosso do Sul, Brasil. Rodriguésia 59:553-554.
1	Native	Southern America	Brazil	Brazil	Ceará	Costa, L. C. da et al. 2008. Estudo taxonômico de Stylosanthes (Leguminosae–Papilionoideae–Dalbergieae) em Mato Grosso do Sul, Brasil. Rodriguésia 59:553-554.
1	Native	Southern America	Brazil	Brazil	Distrito Federal	Costa, L. C. da et al. 2008. Estudo taxonômico de Stylosanthes (Leguminosae–Papilionoideae–Dalbergieae) em Mato Grosso do Sul, Brasil. Rodriguésia 59:553-554.
1	Native	Southern America	Brazil	Brazil	Goiás	Costa, L. C. da et al. 2008. Estudo taxonômico de Stylosanthes (Leguminosae–Papilionoideae–Dalbergieae) em Mato Grosso do Sul, Brasil. Rodriguésia 59:553-554.
1	Native	Southern America	Brazil	Brazil	Maranhão	Costa, L. C. da et al. 2008. Estudo taxonômico de Stylosanthes (Leguminosae–Papilionoideae–Dalbergieae) em Mato Grosso do Sul, Brasil. Rodriguésia 59:553-554.
1	Native	Southern America	Brazil	Brazil	Mato Grosso do Sul	Costa, L. C. da et al. 2008. Estudo taxonômico de Stylosanthes (Leguminosae–Papilionoideae–Dalbergieae) em Mato Grosso do Sul, Brasil. Rodriguésia 59:553-554.
1	Native	Southern America	Brazil	Brazil	Minas Gerais	Costa, L. C. da et al. 2008. Estudo taxonômico de Stylosanthes (Leguminosae–Papilionoideae–Dalbergieae) em Mato Grosso do Sul, Brasil. Rodriguésia 59:553-554.
1	Native	Southern America	Brazil	Brazil	Pará	Costa, L. C. da et al. 2008. Estudo taxonômico de Stylosanthes (Leguminosae–Papilionoideae–Dalbergieae) em Mato Grosso do Sul, Brasil. Rodriguésia 59:553-554.
1	Native	Southern America	Brazil	Brazil	Paraíba	Costa, L. C. da et al. 2008. Estudo taxonômico de Stylosanthes (Leguminosae–Papilionoideae–Dalbergieae) em Mato Grosso do Sul, Brasil. Rodriguésia 59:553-554.
1	Native	Southern America	Brazil	Brazil	Paraná	Forzza, R. C. et al., coord. Lista de espécies da flora do Brasil (on-line resource). Note: accessed September 2022
1	Native	Southern America	Brazil	Brazil	Pernambuco	Costa, L. C. da et al. 2008. Estudo taxonômico de Stylosanthes (Leguminosae–Papilionoideae–Dalbergieae) em Mato Grosso do Sul, Brasil. Rodriguésia 59:553-554.
1	Native	Southern America	Brazil	Brazil	Piauí	Costa, L. C. da et al. 2008. Estudo taxonômico de Stylosanthes (Leguminosae–Papilionoideae–Dalbergieae) em Mato Grosso do Sul, Brasil. Rodriguésia 59:553-554.
1	Native	Southern America	Northern South America	Venezuela	Anzoátegui	Calles, T. & R. Schultze-Kraft. 2010. Stylosanthes (Leguminosae, Dalbergieae) of Venezuela. Willdenowia 40:319-323.
1	Native	Southern America	Northern South America	Venezuela	Bolívar	Calles, T. & R. Schultze-Kraft. 2010. Stylosanthes (Leguminosae, Dalbergieae) of Venezuela. Willdenowia 40:319-323.
1	Native	Southern America	Northern South America	Venezuela	Guárico	Calles, T. & R. Schultze-Kraft. 2010. Stylosanthes (Leguminosae, Dalbergieae) of Venezuela. Willdenowia 40:319-323.
1	Native	Southern America	Northern South America	Venezuela	Monagas	Calles, T. & R. Schultze-Kraft. 2010. Stylosanthes (Leguminosae, Dalbergieae) of Venezuela. Willdenowia 40:319-323.
1	Native	Southern America	Southern South America	Paraguay	Alto Paraguay	Instituto de Botánica Darwinion. 2008. Flora del Conosur. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares.
1	Native	Southern America	Western South America	Bolivia		Williams, R. J. et al. 1984. Natural distribution of Stylosanthes. In: Stace, H. M. & L. A. Edye, eds., The biology and agronomy of Stylosanthes 91.

Native
Southern America

NORTHERN SOUTH AMERICA: Venezuela [Anzoátegui, Bolívar, Guárico, Monagas]
BRAZIL: Brazil [Bahia, Ceará, Distrito Federal, Goiás, Maranhão, Mato Grosso do Sul, Minas Gerais, Pará, Paraíba, Paraná, Pernambuco, Piauí]
WESTERN SOUTH AMERICA: Bolivia
SOUTHERN SOUTH AMERICA: Paraguay [Alto Paraguay]

Reference(s)

Calles, T. & R. Schultze-Kraft. 2010. Stylosanthes (Leguminosae, Dalbergieae) of Venezuela. Willdenowia 40:319-323.
Costa, L. C. da et al. 2008. Estudo taxonômico de Stylosanthes (Leguminosae–Papilionoideae–Dalbergieae) em Mato Grosso do Sul, Brasil. Rodriguésia 59:553-554.
Forzza, R. C. et al., coord. Lista de espécies da flora do Brasil (on-line resource). Note: accessed September 2022
Instituto de Botánica Darwinion. 2008. Flora del Conosur. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares.
Williams, R. J. et al. 1984. Natural distribution of Stylosanthes. In: Stace, H. M. & L. A. Edye, eds., The biology and agronomy of Stylosanthes 91.

Economic Uses

Usage	Type	Note	Reference
Animal food	forage		'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) 4:209.
Animal food	forage	potential	Nascimento, M. S. C. B. et al. 2018. Stylosanthes capitata. Erva-de-ovelha. In: Coradin, L. et al., Espécies nativas da flora brasileira de valor econômico atual ou potencial: plantas para o futuro: região Nordeste 606-612. Note: locally used in Brazil, with potential for areas with seasonal precipitatio

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=35873. Accessed 12 May 2026.