About Centrosema molle Mart. ex Benth.
Centrosema molle, commonly called the soft butterfly pea or spurred butterfly pea, is a perennial climbing herb that belongs to the legume family, Fabaceae. It is native to areas stretching from southern Mexico, through Central America, and into South America. Its native distribution covers countries including Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, and most of the Caribbean. It has also been introduced to parts of Asia and the Pacific, specifically India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Samoa. This species most often grows in seasonally dry tropical biomes, and grows well in forests, savannas, shrublands, and grasslands. Defining traits of the plant include its twining growth habit, three-foliolate velvety leaves, and mauve-purple flowers that have a distinctive spur above the claw of the standard petal. Its seed pods are linear and ribbed, and can grow up to 17 centimeters long. Centrosema molle has environmental uses: it is especially used for soil improvement and as ground cover, and it also acts as forage for livestock and other animals.
