Clitoria ternatea

Clitoria ternatea, commonly known asAsian pigeonwings,bluebellvine,blue pea,butterfly pea,cordofan pea, orDarwin pea,is a plant species belonging to the familyFabaceaeand native to the Indonesian island ofTernate.In Indian Ayurveda it is commonly known by the nameAparajita.It is also sometimes confused in India withConvolvulus prostratus(Convolvulus pluricaulis).
It is aperennialherbaceousplant, with elliptic, obtuse leaves. It grows as a vine or creeper, doing well in moist, neutral soil.
Its most striking feature is the color of its flowers, a vivid deep blue; solitary, with light yellow markings. They are about4 cm (1+1⁄2in) long by3 cm (1+1⁄4in) wide. Some varieties yield white flowers and pink.
The fruits are5–7 cm (2–2+3⁄4in) long, flat pods with six to ten seeds in each pod. They are edible when tender.
It is grown as an ornamental plant and as a revegetation species (e.g., in coal mines in Australia), requiring little care when cultivated. As alegume, its roots form a symbiotic association with soil bacteria known asrhizobia, which transform atmospheric N2into a plant-usable form (a process called nitrogen fixing), therefore, this plant is also used to improve soil quality through the decomposition of nitrogen rich plant material.
Chemical compounds isolated fromC. ternateainclude varioustriterpenoids,flavonol glycosides,anthocyaninsandsteroids.Cyclic peptides known ascliotideshave been isolated from the heat-stable fraction ofC. ternateaextract.The blue colour ofC. ternateais a result of variousanthocyanins, most importantlyternatins– polyacylated derivatives ofdelphinidin3,3', 5'-triglucoside (Da-T).
The genus nameClitoriais derived from "clitoris", due to their blossoms' shape that resembles the shape of a humanvulva. The first reference to the genus, which includes an illustration of the plant, was made in 1678 byJakób Breyne, aPolishnaturalist, who described it asFlos clitoridis ternatensibus, meaning 'Ternateanflower of the clitoris'.The species name is derived from the name of the island where botanistCarl Linnaeus's specimens originated: theTernate Island, located in thenorthern part of the Maluku Islands.
This plant is native toequatorial Asia, including locations inSouth AsiaandSoutheast Asiabut has also been introduced to Africa, Australia and the Americas.
C. ternateadoes not suffer from any severe pest or disease problems.
Rarely suffers fromcaterpillars,whiteflies,andspider mites.
Suffers fromanthracnoseandbacterial soft rot.Rarely suffers from fungalroot rots.
The flower can be used to dye natural fibers and is used by traditional societies in Asia to do so.
In Southeast Asia, the flower is used as a natural food colouring to colour glutinous rice and desserts like the Eurasianputugalas well as anayurvedicmedicine.InKelantan, in the north-east of peninsular Malaysia, it is an important ingredient innasi kerabu, giving it its characteristic bluish colour. InBurmeseandThai cuisines, the flowers are also dipped in butter and fried. It is also used to colour theNyonyadishPulot tartal.
Butterfly pea flower teais made from the ternatea flowers and driedlemongrassand changes color depending on what is added to the liquid, with lemon juice turning it purple.InThailandandVietnam, this butterfly blue pea flower tea is commonly mixed with honey and lemon to increase acidity and turn the beverage a pink-purple color, to produce for a drink usually served after dinner, or as a refreshment at hotels and spas.The drink is a typical local drink likechamomile teais in other parts of the world.The tea is found in both hot and cold varieties.
The flowers have more recently been used in a color-changingginandabsinthe. Blue in the bottle, it turns pink when mixed with acarbonatedmixersuch astonic waterdue to the change in pH.As organic colours are not permanent, this type of gin is recommended to be stored in a dark place to maintain the effect.It is however not an allowed food ingredient in the EU and at least one gin using it was recalled because of it.
In traditional ayurvedic medicine, it is ascribed with various qualities including memory enhancing,nootropic, antistress,anxiolytic, antidepressant,anticonvulsant, tranquilizing, and sedative properties.Intraditional Chinese medicine, the plant has been ascribed properties affecting female libido due to its similar appearance to the female reproductive organ.Its extract has been shown to reduce intensity of behavior caused byserotoninand acetylcholine in mice.
Its extracts possess a wide range of pharmacological activities including antimicrobial, antipyretic, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, diuretic, local anesthetic, antidiabetic, insecticidal, blood platelet aggregation-inhibiting and for use as a vascular smooth muscle relaxing properties.This plant has a long use in traditional ayurvedic medicine for several diseases and the scientific studieshas reconfirmed those with modern relevance.
Media related toClitoria ternateaat Wikimedia Commons