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Canavalia

DC. (1826)

This name is accepted

Kingdom: Viridiplantae Phylum: Magnoliophyta Class/Clade: Eudicot-Rosids Order: Fabales Family: Fabaceae Genus: Canavalia

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Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form: Lianas, slender vines, or perennial herbs; branches twining.

Stems:

Roots:

Leaves: Leaves compound (pinnately trifoliate). Alternate. Leaflets often ovate, the lateral ones often asymmetrical. Surfaces usually appressed or sometimes spreading pubescent at least on lower surface. Petiolate. Stipules small, caducous. Leaflets stipelate minute, usually caducous.

Flowers: Flowers in clusters of 2–6 on a conspicuous, short, thickened, cylindrical axis, the clusters arranged in long, axillary pseudoracemes. Flowers papilionaceous, often resupinate; bracteoles present, caducous. Calyx bilabiate, 5-lobed, the upper lip large and with 2 lobes connate along the upper margin, the lower lip trifid. Corolla usually purple, but varying from reddish to bluish, with yellow markings near base of petals, occasionally entirely white or yellow, standard obovate, reflexed, wings distinct, oblong, keel petals ascending, connate near apex. Stamens 10; upper stamen distinct at base, loosely adhering to the other 9 up to middle, the other 9 connate into a tube. Ovary superior, stipitate; ovules 5–20; style incurved, glabrous; stigma small, terminal.

Fruit: Pods dehiscent; sometimes explosively so or indehiscent; flat or inflated; each valve with a longitudinal ridge near the upper suture; sometimes also with an additional ridge near the sutural rib. Seeds (1–)4–15; transversely arranged; ellipsoid; slightly to strongly laterally flattened; hilum elongated; oblong; with a small; papery; persistent rim–aril.

Ploidy:

Habitat:

Elevation Range:

Historical Distribution

Images

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Uses and Culture

USES

  • A topical treatment for skin disorders is made from the leaf buds, leaves, bark, and roots of the ‘‘āwikiwiki mixed with ‘ohi‘a ‘ai bark (Syzygium malaccense) and ‘auko‘i stalk (Senna occidentalis) (Chun 1994:66).

  • Vines used for simple, temporary fish traps (Abbott 1992:84).

PROPAGATION/CULTIVATION

  • Easy. Scarified & soaked seeds planted near fence/tree for support or as ground cover, water regularly; grow rapidly & branch quickly climbing nearby plants (Culliney and Koebele 1999:55–57).

Natural History

Island Status

Dispersal Agents


Pollinators

Bibliography

Name Published In: Mém. Légum.: 375 (1826)

Occurrences

SNo. Scientific Name Scientific Name Authorship Locality Habitat Basis of Record Recorded By Record Number Island Source Date
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