| DESCRIPTION: Erect, semi-erect, prostrate-trailing, herbaceous legume. Leaves trifoliolate, leaflets elliptical-oblong to lanceolate, sometimes ovate, 3.3-6.6 cm long, 1.5-3.6 cm wide. Flowers usually in racemes of 2-5 flowers, sometimes solitary, usually violet, violet-blue or red-lilac, in rare cases also white or purple. USE: Forage quality is high and compares favourably with other tropical legumes. GROWING PERIOD: Perennial. COMMON NAMES: Centrosema. FURTHER INF: It has a wide natural distribution in the tropics of South America, with a latitude range of 23°Sˆ12°N. It is found in semi-evergreen seasonal forest, deciduous forest, savannah and very dry locations. The natural habitat is mostly scrub, wasteland, open woodland, edges of gallery forest/gallery bush, river banks and along creeks. It is found at altitudes of 50ˆ300 m, in few cases up to 800 m. Rainfall adaptability varies from arid (370 mm annual rainfall, with 10 dry months) to humid environments (2900 mm annual rainfall, no dry season). It is its high tolerance to drought , with the ability to retain green leaves over extended (>5-8 months) dry seasons. Suitable soils are well drained, acid to very acid (pH 4.1ˆ6.3), of medium to low fertility and of sandy to loamy texture. Productivity: 3-10 t/ha/year DM. |