CSIR-NEERI Biodiversity Portal

NEERI Biodiversity Portal

Easy access to campus Biodiversity...

Facilitates Learning & Sharing Knowledge of Biodiversity on a Click

NBP was inaugurated by Dr. M.S. Ladania, Director, NRCC Nagpur on 8 April 2015

Butterfly Pea , Blue Pea

Clitoria ternatea L.

Botanical name	: Clitoria ternatea L.
Common Name	: Butterfly pea, blue pea
Family	: Fabaceae
Synonym	: Clitoria mearnsii De Wild.
About	: The butterfly pea is a vigorous, trailing, scrambling or climbing perennial, tropical legume. Its sparsely pubescent stems are sub-erect and woody at the base and may be up to 5 m long. They root only at the tips. The leaves are pinnate, bearing 5-7 elliptical, 3-5 cm long leaflets. The flowers are solitary or paired, deep blue or pure white, about 4 cm broad. The fruits are flat, linear, sparsely pubescent pods that dehisce violently at maturity and throw 8-10 dark and shiny seeds. It is native to Africa but widespread throughout humid and sub-humid lowlands of Asia, the Caribbean, Central and South America. Originally selected as a cover crop. Widely planted as an ornamental on fencerows. It has high protein content. Now used for short and medium-term pastures and as green manure, cover crop and protein bank.