Climbing or erect herbs or shrubs, rarely trees. Leaf mostly pinnately 3-9-foliolate; stipels and stipules present. Inflorescence racemose or axillary solitary or paired. Bracts stipule-like; bracteoles large. Calyx 5 toothed, 2 upper teeth subconnate. Corolla white, red or blue. Vexillum without appendages, larger than other petals. Stamens monadelphous or diadelphous, 9+1, vexillary stamen free; anthers uniform or 5 dorsifixed alternating with 5 subbasifixed. Ovary stipitate, 2-many ovuled, style more or less flattened, bearded inside, stigma terminal. Fruit linear-oblong, compressed or turgid.

A genus with about 30 species, distributed in tropics and subtropics; locally represented by 1 species.

Lower Taxon

• Clitoria ternatea Linn.