Vine, sometimes robust, stems sometimes woody pilose with elongate, 2 mm long, weak yellowish hairs. Leaves pinnate trifoliolate, leaflets ovate, 5-12 cm long, apically acuminate, the acumen mucronulate, basally obtuse, above with minute hairs, sparingly pilose beneath, especially on the veins, petiolules 2-3 mm long, pilose; petioles slender, drying sharply grooved, pubescent; stipels linear, conspicuous, to 12 mm long, much exceeding the petiolules; stipules conspicyous, ovate, 5-11 mm long, finely nervate, sparingly long pilose. Inflorescence few flowered; peduncles slender, elongate, pubescent; bracteoles large, ovate, sub-spathaceous, nervate, ciliate, glabrous or pubescent, 2-2.5 cm long, 8-10 mm wide; pedicels 10-15 mm long, slender, pubescent; bracts stipule-like. Flowers (from Barbarosa-Fevereiro 1970) white; calyx puberulent, the tube 5-6 mm long, the upper teeth completely fused forming a lip 3-4 mm long, 3 mm wide, truncate or emarginate apically, the lower teeth triangular, the laterals 2-3 mm long, the median 5-7 mm long; standard 4.5-5 cm long, 5-6 cm wide, dorsally pubescent. Fruit straight, linear to oblong, compressed, ca. 10 cm long, 6-8 mm wide, co-piously pubescent, ultimately black; seeds dark brown, rectangular 5-6 mm long. Centrosema vexillata is distinct in its large stipels, stipules and bracteoles. The flat pubescent pods are also distinctive.
Home