Trees & Plants

Butterfly flower

Nanreethimaa

Clitoria ternatea L.

Grown as an ornamental plant Its flowers contain the natural antioxidant blue proanthocyanidin. The dried plant is an anti-anxiety agent, antidepressant and anticonvulsant and the roots possess nootropic activity. The blue flowers are used for colouring food such as rice, tea, fr

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uses: Its flowers contain the natural antioxidant blue proanthocyanidin. The dried plant is an anti-anxiety agent, antidepressant and anticonvulsant and the roots possess nootropic activity. The blue flowers are used for colouring food such as rice, tea, fruit juice or cocktails. ca.
family: Fabaceae
synonym: Clitoria albiflora Mattei, Clitoria bracteata Poir.
description: Slender twiners. Leaves odd- × pinnate; leaflets 5-7, 2.2-4.5 1.5-2.8 cm, broadly elliptic, ovate or obovate, base flcuneate to rounded, apex obtuse to rounded, pubescent. Flowers solitary, axillary; pedicels to 1 cm long; bracts 2-3 mm long, persistent; bracteoles foliaceous, auricled. Calyx tube 5-7 mm long, pubescent; lobes acuminate. Petals blue or white, clawed; standard 3.5- 4.3 cm long, obovate, emarginate; wings oblong, falcate, adnate to keel; keels obovate, incurved. Stamens diadelphous. Ovary ca. × 7 mm long; style curved. Pods 5-9 0.6- 0.9 cm, linear, compressed, apically beaked; seeds many, 5-7 mm long, compressed, reniform, black.
native range: Tropical equatorial Asia
distribution: Asia, Africa, Australia and America
english names: Butterfly flower · Bluebell flower
flowering fruiting: July- October
occurrence maldives: Grown as an ornamental plant