Stylo facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Stylo
Habit
Botanical illustration
Scientific classification
Genus:	Stylosanthes
Species:	guianensis

Stylosanthes guianensis, also known as stylo, is a type of flowering plant. It belongs to the Fabaceae family, which is also called the pea or legume family. This plant originally comes from the warm, tropical parts of North and South America.

Over time, stylo has been brought to many other warm places around the world. You can now find it in places like Puerto Rico, islands in the Caribbean, many parts of Africa, Madagascar, and islands in the Indian Ocean. It also grows in India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, China, Taiwan, New Guinea, Australia, and the Cook Islands.

Stylo is a very important plant because it is used as food for farm animals. Farmers grow it to feed their livestock, like cows and sheep. What's interesting about stylo is that animals like to eat it even more as the plant gets older. This makes it a valuable food source, especially when other fresh food might be scarce. There are also many different kinds, or varieties, of stylo.

Different Types of Stylo

Within the main Stylosanthes guianensis species, there are several accepted types. These are like different versions of the same plant. They often grow in slightly different areas or have small differences in their features.

• Stylosanthes guianensis subsp. dissitiflora – This type is found in Mexico and Honduras.
• Stylosanthes guianensis var. gracilis – You can find this variety from Guatemala all the way down to Argentina. It has also been introduced to some parts of Africa.
• Stylosanthes guianensis subsp. guianensis – This is the most common type and grows across the entire range of the plant. It's also the one most often introduced to new places.
• Stylosanthes guianensis var. pauciflora – This variety grows in Colombia, Venezuela, and Brazil.