''Clitoria'' is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

of mainly tropical and subtropical,

insect Insects (from Latin ') are Hexapoda, hexapod invertebrates of the class (biology), class Insecta. They are the largest group within the arthropod phylum. Insects have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body (Insect morphology#Head, head, ...

-pollinated flowering pea vines.

Taxonomy

Naming of the genus

This genus was named after the human

clitoris In amniotes, the clitoris ( or ; : clitorises or clitorides) is a female sex organ. In humans, it is the vulva's most erogenous zone, erogenous area and generally the primary anatomical source of female Human sexuality, sexual pleasure. Th ...

, for the flowers bear a resemblance to the

vulva In mammals, the vulva (: vulvas or vulvae) comprises mostly external, visible structures of the female sex organ, genitalia leading into the interior of the female reproductive tract. For humans, it includes the mons pubis, labia majora, lab ...

. The first reference to the genus, which includes an illustration of the plant, was made in 1678 by Jakób Breyne, a Polish naturalist, who described it as ''Flos clitoridis ternatensibus'', meaning ' Ternatean flower of the clitoris'. Many vernacular names of these flowers in different languages are similarly based on references to female external genitalia. Controversies existed in the past among botanists regarding the

good taste In aesthetics, the concept of taste has been the interest of philosophers such as Plato, David Hume, Hume, and Immanuel Kant, Kant. It is defined by the ability to make valid Judgement, judgments about an object's aesthetic value. However, these ...

of the naming of the genus. The analogy drew sharp criticism from botanists such as James Edward Smith in 1807,

Amos Eaton Amos Eaton (May 17, 1776 – May 10, 1842) was an American botany, botanist, geologist, and educator who is considered the founder of the modern scientific prospectus in education, which was a radical departure from the American liberal arts tra ...

in 1817, Michel Étienne Descourtilz in 1826, and Eaton and

Wright Wright is an occupational surname originating in England and Scotland. The term 'Wright' comes from the circa 700 AD Old English word 'wryhta' or 'wyrhta', meaning worker or shaper of wood. Later it became any occupational worker (for example, a ...

in 1840. Some less explicit alternatives, like ''Vexillaria'' (Eaton 1817) and ''Nauchea'' (Descourtilz 1826), were proposed, but they failed to prosper, and the name ''Clitoria'' has survived to this day.

Species

Plants of the World Online Plants of the World Online (POWO) is an online taxonomic database published by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. History Following the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew launched Plants of the World Online i ...

Distribution

These plants are native to tropical, subtropical and temperate areas of the world, ranging through the temperate and tropical Americas, sub-Saharan Africa, Arabian Peninsula, Indian Subcontinent, Indochina, southern China, and Western Australia and the Northern Territory.

Uses

The most widely known species of the genus is '' Clitoria ternatea'', also known as butterfly pea. It is used as an herbal medicine, and it is used as food, as well. Its roots are used in

ayurveda Ayurveda (; ) is an alternative medicine system with historical roots in the Indian subcontinent. It is heavily practised throughout India and Nepal, where as much as 80% of the population report using ayurveda. The theory and practice of ayur ...

Hindu medicine.

Gallery

Image:Clitoria MS4124.JPG, The shape of the ''Clitoria'' flowers has inspired the name of the genus File:Clitoria (447419053).jpg, '' Clitoria mariana'' flower File:Neel Aporajita (Clitoria ternatea) in Shantinagar, Dhaka.jpg, '' Clitoria ternatea'', known as ''Neel Aporajita'' in

Bangladesh Bangladesh, officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, eighth-most populous country in the world and among the List of countries and dependencies by ...

File:Khao tom-dok anchan53.JPG, Thai '' Khao tom'' sweet colored blue with ''Clitoria ternatea'' flowers File:Blue tea.jpg, Clitoria tea

Taxonomy

Naming of the genus

Species

Distribution

Uses

Gallery

See also

References

Further reading