Canavalia DC.

Legumes of the World. Edited by G. Lewis, B. Schrire, B. MacKinder & M. Lock. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. (2005)

Note

Previous accounts of the Phaseoleae by Baudet (1978) and Lackey (1981) recognised 90 and 84 genera and c. 1540 and 1480 species respectively in the tribe. In an equivalent, i.e. traditionally held view of Phaseoleae, 89 genera and (1554)–1567–(1580) species are treated here (Table 9; Fig. 47). Changes between Baudet (1978) and this treatment are that eleven genera are now in synonymy or have subsequently been placed in Millettieae, two genera have been transferred from Desmodieae and eight new genera have been added. Vigna has traditionally been thought to comprise some 150–200 species, but Vigna sens. strict. may contain fewer than 100.

Recent molecular analyses of the tribe, however, have emphasised both the polyphyletic and paraphyletic nature of Phaseoleae as traditionally circumscribed (Bruneau & Doyle, 1990; Doyle & Doyle, 1993; Delgado Salinas et al., 1993; Bruneau et al., 1995; Doyle et al., 1997, 2000; Kajita et al., 2001; Goel et al., 2001; Lee & Hymowitz, 2001). This has required a radical realignment of elements of the phaseoloids (Table 9; Fig. 47), with at least two major clades being evident: Phaseoleae subtribes Diocleinae and Ophrestiinae which together with tribe Abreae are allied to the core-Millettieae (Fig. 45), and the remaining groups comprising a Phaseoleae sens. lat. clade. The rbcL phylogeny of Kajita et al. (2001) and the ITS analysis of Hu et al. (2002) are equivocal as to which clade subtribe Clitoriinae belongs. Phaseoleae sens. lat. also includes two traditionally independent tribes, the Desmodieae and Psoraleeae. Delimiting a recircumscribed Phaseoleae sens. strict is thus very problematic. A solution may be to recognise a broad tribe Phaseoleae, comprising the subtribes Kennediinae, Cajaninae, Phaseolinae and Glycininae, assorted basally branching genera, and tribes Desmodieae and Psoraleeae (both treated at subtribal level).

Many more species than are currently recognised were described from Hawaii by St. John (1970); Queiroz et al. (2003) find that Canavalia, Cleobulia and Cratylia form a clade

Vernacular

kanavali

Habit

Lianas to slender vines

Ecology

Tropical flooded or swamp forest, river banks and forest margins to seasonally dry coastal vegetation, thicket, open woodland, wooded grassland and rocky hillsides, often climbing over or trailing through other vegetation

Distribution

c. 33 spp. Neotropics (c. 18 spp. endemic in S America; 10 spp. in N & C America and c. 5 neotropical-wide); c. 10 spp. in Pacific Is.; 8 spp. in Asia and 1 sp. in Madagascar; c. 5 spp. widespread in Palaeotropics or pantropical

Leguminosae, J. B. Gillett, R. M. Polhill & B. Verdcourt. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1971

Morphology General Habit

Woody lianes or perennial herbs, a few species cultivated as annuals

Morphology Stem

Stems trailing or climbing

Morphology Leaves

Leaves pinnately 3-foliolate; stipules small, deciduous, sometimes spurred and swollen below; stipels small, deciduous

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences axillary, racemose, or flowers paired or in small groups along the rhachis which is thickened at their point of insertion

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers mostly large, often rather thick in texture, white to purple

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx 5-lobed, 2-lipped, the lower 3 lobes joined to form a trifid or entire lip, upper pair joined to form a bifid or truncate lip

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Standard rounded, reflexed, sometimes auriculate, appendaged; keel incurved, obtuse or beaked, often twisted

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens generally all joined, the vexillary one free only near its base, rarely quite free; anthers uniform

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil

Ovary usually many-ovuled; style slender, curved, glabrous; stigma small, terminal

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pods linear or oblong, (1–)4–15-seeded, flattened or turgid, often winged or ribbed along the upper suture and sometimes with additional ribs, sometimes thinly filled between the seeds; endocarp papery

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds ovoid, ellipsoid or reniform, compressed; hilum linear, mostly at least half as long as the seed; a small papery persistent extension of the rim-aril present.

Leguminosae, B. Mackinder, R. Pasquet, R. Polhill & B. Verdcourt. Flora Zambesiaca 3:5. 2001

Morphology General Habit

Woody lianes or perennial herbs, a few species cultivated as annuals; stems trailing or climbing.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves pinnately 3-foliolate; stipules small, deciduous, sometimes spurred and swollen below; stipels small, deciduous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers in axillary racemes or pseudoracemes with 2–several at swollen nodes, often rather large and thick in texture.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx 2-lipped; upper 2 lobes joined to form a bifid or truncate lip, the 3 lower ones joined to form a trifid or entire lip.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla white to purple; standard rounded, reflexed, sometimes auricled, appendaged; keel incurved, obtuse or beaked, often twisted.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens all joined, the vexillary one free only near its base, rarely quite free; anthers uniform.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil

Ovary usually many-ovuled; style slender, curved, glabrous; stigma small, terminal.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pod linear or oblong, flattened or turgid, often winged or ribbed along the upper suture and sometimes with additional ribs, sometimes thinly filled between the seeds; endocarp papery, (1)4–15-seeded.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds ovoid, ellipsoid or reniform, compressed; hilum linear, usually at least half as long as the seed; hilum with a small papery persistent extension of the rim aril.