The Caribbean stylo (Stylosanthes hamata (L.)Taub.) is a semi-erect, annual or short-lived perennial tropical legume, up to 75 cm high. Its stems are slender, multi-branched, non-determinate and pubescent on one side but without bristles, unlike the Townsville stylo, Stylosanthes humilis, which has many bristles. The leaves are trifoliate with shiny, lanceolate leaflets, 19-37 mm long and 3-6 mm broad. The inflorescence is a compact oblong spike bearing 8 to 14 small, yellow, hairy and papillonaceous flowers. The single-seeded pods are erect and segmented. The upper segment is glabrous and hooked, 6-7 mm long including the length of the hook (Cameron, 2010; Cook et al., 2005). The seeds are kidney-shaped, dark brown, mottled and 2-2.5 mm long. There is a wide range of Caribbean stylo genotypes, differing in their ploidy. Diploid types are adapted to a wider range of latitudes, altitudes and rainfall ranges than tetraploid types (FAO, 2012; Cameron, 2010; Edye et al., 1992). In Australia, two tetraploid cultivars (Verano in 1973 and Amiga in 1988) have been released as pasture legumes. Amiga produces more perennial plants and more seeds than Verano, in drier and cooler environments (Cameron, 2010; Edye, 1997). Diploids are generally not sown for pastures (Edye et al., 1992).
