Vines, perennial, herbaceous or woody, to 3 m. Stems twining or prostrate, sparsely pubescent to glabrate. Leaves: petiole 3.9–11.6 cm; petiolules 7–8.7 mm, moderately to densely pubescent, hairs 0.5–0.9 mm; leaflet blades ovate, 30–142 × 28–97 mm, base cuneate, apex obtuse, acute, or subacuminate, surfaces strigose to glabrate. Panicles to 25 cm; bracteoles 1.3–1.5 × 1.2–1.3 mm, apex obtuse. Pedicels 0.3–2 mm, glabrous or strigillose. Flowers: calyx 6.3–12 mm; central lobe of abaxial lip exceeding ± acute lateral lobes; corolla lavender to blue-violet, 20–24 mm. Legumes slightly compressed, oblong, 6–20 × 2–3 cm. Seeds 4–12, olive, brown, or red, sometimes darkly marbled, moderately compressed, oblong, 1.4–1.9 × 1–1.2 cm; hilum 1/2+ length of seed. 2n = 22.
Phenology: Flowering Feb–Apr, Nov–Dec.
Habitat: Sandy soils of pineland margins, disturbed woodlands, waste areas.
Elevation: 0–20 m.
Distribution
Introduced; Fla., Mexico, West Indies, Central America, South America.
Discussion
Canavalia brasiliensis was cultivated historically also in Mississippi; no recent records of escaped or persisting populations exist. It is known from Miami-Dade County.
Selected References
None.