Vines, perennial, woody or suffrutescent, unarmed. Stems twining, pubescent becoming glabrescent. Leaves alternate, even-pinnate; stipules present; petiolate; leaflets 16–40, opposite, stipels absent or minute, blade margins entire, surfaces glabrous or pubescent. Inflorescences 10–30-flowered, axillary or terminal, racemes [pseudoracemes or fascicles]; bracts and bracteoles present. Flowers papilionaceous; calyx campanulate, lobes 5; corolla pink or lavender to white, [yellowish, blue, or purplish]; stamens 9, vexillary stamen absent, connate 1/2 length; anthers dorsifixed, uniform or 4 smaller; ovary densely strigose; style slightly curved, relatively short, glabrous; stigma terminal, capitate, penicillate. Fruits legumes, subsessile, slightly inflated [compressed], curved, oblong [linear], beaked, elastically dehiscent, puberulent. Seeds (1–)3–7, subglobose [ellipsoid and compressed].

Distribution

Introduced; Florida, Asia, Africa, introduced also in Mexico, West Indies, Central America, South America, Indian Ocean Islands, Pacific Islands, Australia, pantropical, tropical, and subtropical regions.

Discussion

Species ca. 17 (1 in the flora).

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

Abrus precatorius