Robust climbers or trailers, the roots sometimes tuberous. Leaves large, pinnately 3-foliolate, the leaflets entire or sinuately lobed; stipules present, sometimes produced below the point of insertion; stipels present. Inflorescences axillary, falsely racemose or paniculate, sometimes very long, the flowers often aggregated on nodose reduced side branches along the rhachis; bracts present, mostly small and soon falling; bracteoles present, sub-persistent or deciduous. Calyx 5-lobed or appearing 4-lobed, the upper pair of lobes joined to form an entire or bifid lip. Corolla small or medium-sized, mostly blue or purplish. Ovary linear, many-ovuled, narrowed above. Fruit pods, long and linear, compressed, many-seeded, pubescent. Seeds small, oblong, subglobose or almost cylindric. Worldwide: 15 to 20 species in Asia and Polynesia, widely cultivated in the tropics.
Zimbabwe: 1 cultivated taxon. |
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