Stylosanthes Sw.
(Mohlenbrock, 1957, 1963)
Twenty-five to 50
species, nearly worldwide, most diverse in warm regions.
Generic limits of Stylosanthes remain poorly
understood and there has been controversy as to its relationships within the
family. There are only five species in the United States, which are relatively
easily distinguished, but share several unusual characters, including stipules
fused to the petioles and into a tube around the stem, short, dense
inflorescences with bristly pubescence, yellow corollas, and dimorphic stamens.
In tropical regions, some species are planted for fodder and soil
stabilization.