Clitoria
Encyclopedia
Clitoria is a genus of flowering plants that are insect
pollinated.
New World including southeast Asia, where the flowers are often used as a food dye or dipped in batter and deep-fried.
The most widely known species of the genus is Clitoria ternatea
, also known as Butterfly pea. It has medicinal uses and it is used as food as well. Its roots are used in ayurveda
Indian medicine.
This genus was named after the human female
clitoris
, for the flowers bear a resemblance to female pudenda
. Originally the first described species of the genus was given the name Flos clitoridis ternatensibus in 1678 by Rumpf
, a German
-born botanist employed by the Dutch East India Company
. It was regarded as appropriately named by Johann Philipp Breyne
in 1747.
Many vernacular names of these flowers in different languages are similarly based on references to a woman's sexual organ.
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There were controversies in the past among botanists regarding the good taste
of the naming of the genus. The analogy drew sharp criticism from botanists like James Edward Smith
in 1807, Amos Eaton
in 1817, Michel Étienne Descourtilz
in 1826 and Eaton and Wright
in 1840. Some less explicit alternatives, like Vexillaria (Eaton 1817) and Nauchea (Descourtilz 1826), were proposed, but they didn't prosper and the name Clitoria has survived to this day.
Insect
Insects are a class of living creatures within the arthropods that have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body , three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes, and two antennae...
pollinated.
Distribution and uses
These plants are native to tropical and temperate areas of the Old World.New World including southeast Asia, where the flowers are often used as a food dye or dipped in batter and deep-fried.
The most widely known species of the genus is Clitoria ternatea
Clitoria ternatea
Clitoria ternatea is a plant species belonging to the Fabaceae family.- Distribution :This plant is native to tropical equatorial Asia, but has been introduced to Africa, Australia and America....
, also known as Butterfly pea. It has medicinal uses and it is used as food as well. Its roots are used in ayurveda
Ayurveda
Ayurveda or ayurvedic medicine is a system of traditional medicine native to India and a form of alternative medicine. In Sanskrit, words , meaning "longevity", and , meaning "knowledge" or "science". The earliest literature on Indian medical practice appeared during the Vedic period in India,...
Indian medicine.
Naming of the genus
Woman
A woman , pl: women is a female human. The term woman is usually reserved for an adult, with the term girl being the usual term for a female child or adolescent...
clitoris
Clitoris
The clitoris is a sexual organ that is present only in female mammals. In humans, the visible button-like portion is located near the anterior junction of the labia minora, above the opening of the urethra and vagina. Unlike the penis, which is homologous to the clitoris, the clitoris does not...
, for the flowers bear a resemblance to female pudenda
Vulva
The vulva consists of the external genital organs of the female mammal. This article deals with the vulva of the human being, although the structures are similar for other mammals....
. Originally the first described species of the genus was given the name Flos clitoridis ternatensibus in 1678 by Rumpf
Georg Eberhard Rumphius
Georg Eberhard Rumphius or originally Rumpf was a German-born botanist employed by the Dutch East India Company in what is now eastern Indonesia, and is best known for his work, Herbarium Amboinense....
, a German
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
-born botanist employed by the Dutch East India Company
Dutch East India Company
The Dutch East India Company was a chartered company established in 1602, when the States-General of the Netherlands granted it a 21-year monopoly to carry out colonial activities in Asia...
. It was regarded as appropriately named by Johann Philipp Breyne
Johann Philipp Breyne
Johann Philipp Breyne , son of Jacob Breyne , was a German botanist, palaeontologist, zoologist and entomologist. He is best known for his work on the Polish cochineal , an insect formerly used in production of red dye...
in 1747.
Many vernacular names of these flowers in different languages are similarly based on references to a woman's sexual organ.
Good Taste
Good Taste is a science fiction short story by Isaac Asimov. It appeared in Asimov's Science Fiction and in the 1983 collection The Winds of Change and Other Stories.-Plot summary:...
of the naming of the genus. The analogy drew sharp criticism from botanists like James Edward Smith
James Edward Smith
Sir James Edward Smith was an English botanist and founder of the Linnean Society.Smith was born in Norwich in 1759, the son of a wealthy wool merchant. He displayed a precocious interest in the natural world...
in 1807, Amos Eaton
Amos Eaton
Amos Eaton was a scientist and educator in the Troy, New York area.Eaton attended Williams College; after graduating in 1799 he studied law in New York City and was admitted to the state bar in 1802. He practiced law in Catskill, New York until 1810, when he was jailed on charges of forgery...
in 1817, Michel Étienne Descourtilz
Michel Étienne Descourtilz
Michel Étienne Descourtilz , was a French physician, botanist and historiographer of the Haitian revolution....
in 1826 and Eaton and Wright
William Wright (botanist)
William Wright was a Scottish physician and botanist.Born in March 1735 in Crieff, Perthshire, he studied at Crieff Grammar School and the University of Edinburgh, and obtained a medical degree at St. Andrews . He served as an apprentice with G Dennistoun in Falkirk , and became a navy surgeon in...
in 1840. Some less explicit alternatives, like Vexillaria (Eaton 1817) and Nauchea (Descourtilz 1826), were proposed, but they didn't prosper and the name Clitoria has survived to this day.
Species
- Clitoria albiflora MatteiMatteiMattei can refer to:Places:* Mattei, CaliforniaNoble families:* Mattei , noble Roman family* Marquis Mattei, noble Maltese familyPeople:* Bruno Mattei, Italian movie director...
- Clitoria amazonum Benth.
- Clitoria andreiClitoria andreiClitoria andrei is a species of legume in the Fabaceae family.It is found only in Ecuador.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry forests.-References:* Neill, D. & Pitman, N. 2004. . Downloaded on 19 July 2007....
Fantz - Clitoria angustifolia Kunth
- Clitoria annua J. Graham
- Clitoria arborea Benth.
- Clitoria arborescens R. Br.
- Clitoria australis Benth.
- Clitoria biflora DalzielDalzielDalziel, Dalzell or Dalyell is a Scottish Lowland surname. It is pronounced , though pronunciation with a may be heard outside Scotland.-Pronunciation:...
- Clitoria brachystegiaClitoria brachystegiaClitoria brachystegia is a species of legume in the Fabaceae family.It is found only in Ecuador.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry forests.-References:* Neill, D. & Pitman, N. 2004. . Downloaded on 19 July 2007....
Benth. - Clitoria bracteata Poir.
- Clitoria brasiliana L.
- Clitoria cajanifolia (C. Presl) Benth.
- Clitoria capitata Rich.
- Clitoria dendrina Pittier
- Clitoria fairchildianaClitoria fairchildianaClitoria fairchildiana, the Sombreiro, is a flowering plant species in the genus Clitoria found in Campina Grande, Brazil.The rotenoids clitoriacetal, stemonacetal, 6-deoxyclitoriacetal, 11-deoxyclitoriacetal, 9-demethylclitoriacetal and stemonal can be isolated from C. fairchildiana....
R. A. Howard - Clitoria falcata Lam.
- Clitoria fragransClitoria fragransClitoria fragrans is a rare species of flowering plant in the legume family known by the common name pigeon wings, or sweet-scented pigeon wings. It is endemic to Central Florida, where it was known most recently from 62 occurrences, but no current estimates of the total global population are...
SmallSmallSmall may refer to:People:* Albion Woodbury Small , founded the first Department of Sociology in the United States at the University of Chicago* Ambrose Small , Canadian theatre magnate... - Clitoria glycinoides DC.A. P. de CandolleAugustin Pyramus de Candolle also spelled Augustin Pyrame de Candolle was a Swiss botanist. René Louiche Desfontaines launched Candolle's botanical career by recommending him at an herbarium...
- Clitoria guianensis (Aubl.) Benth.
- Clitoria heterophylla Lam.
- Clitoria heterophylla var. heterophylla
- Clitoria heterophylla var. pedunculata (BojerWenceslas BojerWenceslas Bojer was a notable naturalist and botanist.He was born to Simon Bojer and Barbara Staub....
ex Benth.) Fantz
- Clitoria javitensis subsp. javitensis
- Clitoria laurifolia Poir.
- Clitoria linearis Gagnep.
- Clitoria mariana L.
- Clitoria mearnsii De Wild.
- Clitoria mexicana LinkJohann Heinrich Friedrich LinkJohann Heinrich Friedrich Link was a German naturalist and botanist.Link was born at Hildesheim as a son of the minister August Heinrich Link , who taught him the love for nature through collection of 'natural objects'...
- Clitoria moyobambensisClitoria moyobambensisClitoria moyobambensis is a species of legume in the Fabaceae family.It is found only in Peru.-References:* World Conservation Monitoring Centre 1998. . Downloaded on 19 July 2007....
Fantz - Clitoria nana Benth.
- Clitoria pedunculata BojerWenceslas BojerWenceslas Bojer was a notable naturalist and botanist.He was born to Simon Bojer and Barbara Staub....
ex Benth. - Clitoria pinnata (Pers.) R. H. Sm. & G. P. Lewis
- Clitoria plumieri Turpin ex Pers.
- Clitoria polyphylla Poir.
- Clitoria racemosa G. Don
- Clitoria racemosa Benth.
- Clitoria rubiginosa Pers.
- Clitoria sagotii Fantz
- Clitoria schiedeana Schltdl.
- Clitoria stipularis Benth.
- Clitoria tanganicensis Micheli
- Clitoria ternateaClitoria ternateaClitoria ternatea is a plant species belonging to the Fabaceae family.- Distribution :This plant is native to tropical equatorial Asia, but has been introduced to Africa, Australia and America....
L. - Clitoria virginiana L.
- Clitoria woytkowskiiClitoria woytkowskiiClitoria woytkowskii is a species of legume in the Fabaceae family.It is found only in Peru.-References:* World Conservation Monitoring Centre 1998. . Downloaded on 19 July 2007....
Fantz - Clitoria zanzibarensis Vatke
- Clitoria zanzibarensis mengkoemieng