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• Taxonomy
• Physical Description
• Distribution
• Reproduction
• Growth
• Similar Species
• Bibliography
• More Info
• Notes
• Keep Exploring

Overview:

Green manure, stock feed, and for human food, although unripe seeds are toxic , safe when heated (Mabberley). Contain the enzyme Urease, which releases ammonia from Urine. Insecticidal and fungicidal chemicals within. Much recent research on realising agrofrestry etc potential.

Taxonomy

Unambiguous Synonyms:

1. Canavalia ensiformis var. albida DC.
2. Canavalia ensiformis var. truncata Ricker
3. Canavalia gladiata var. leucosperma Voigt
4. Dolichos acinaciformis Jacq.
5. Dolichos ensiformis L.
6. Dolichos pugioniformis Rauschert
7. Malocchia ensiformis (L.)Savi

Notes:

Name Status: Accepted Name. Latest taxonomic scrutiny: –

Place of publication: Prodr. 2:404. 1825

Name verified on 22-Dec-2005 by ARS Systematic Botanists. Last updated: 22-Dec-2005

Physical Description

Family Fabaceae:

The Fabaceae are herbs, vines, shrubs, trees, and lianas found in both temperate and tropical areas. They comprise one of the largest families of flowering plants, numbering 630 genera and 18,000 species. The leaves are stipulate, nearly always alternate, and range from bipinnately or palmately compound to simple. The petiole base is commonly enlarged into a pulvinus that commonly functions in orientation of the leaves (sometimes very responsively, as in the sensitive plant, Mimosa pudica). The flowers are usually bisexual, actinomorphic to zygomorphic, slightly to strongly perigynous, and commonly in racemes, spikes, or heads. The perianth commonly consists of a calyx and corolla of 5 segments each. The androecium consists of commonly 1- many stamens (most commonly 10), distinct or variously united, sometimes some of them reduced to staminodes. The pistil is simple, often stipitate, comprising a single style and stigma, and a superior ovary with one locule containing 2-many marginal ovules. The fruit is usually a legume, sometimes a samara, loment, follicle, indehiscent pod, achene, drupe, or berry. The seeds often have a hard coat with hourglass-shaped cells, and sometimes bear a u-shaped line called a pleurogram. [Carr]

Subfamily Faboideae:

Mostly herbs, shrubs, or trees. Leaves pinnate or palmate to trifoliolate or apparently simple. Corolla usually, showy, zygomorphic, the petals imbricate, posterior (upper or banner) petal outermost in bud. Stamens 10 or 9 + 1 (diadelphous), not showy. Pollen released in monads. Seeds with u-shaped line (pleurogram) lacking. [Carr]

Species Canavalia ensiformis:

Twining annual to 1m; Lflets almost glabrous; pods 35-40cm long. Contain the enzyme

Habit: Herb, Shrub • Climbing: Not Climbing

Flowers: Bloom Period: June, July, August, September. • Flower Color: magenta

Distribution

Range and Population

Native: .

Reproduction

Duration: Annual

Growth

Culture: Space 3-6" apart.

Soil: Minimum pH: 5.1 • Maximum pH: 6.0

Sunlight: Sun Exposure: Full Sun.

Moisture: Drought Tolerance: High

Similar Species

Members of the genus Canavalia:

There are approximately 102 species, subspecies, varieties, forms, and cultivars in this genus. Here are just 100 of them: C. acuminata · C. africana · C. altipendula · C. aurita · C. beniensis · C. bicarinata · C. boliviana · C. bonariensis · C. brasilensis · C. brasiliensis (Brazil Jackbean) · C. campylocarpa · C. cassidea · C. cathartica (Liane Caiman) · C. centralis · C. concinna · C. dictyota · C. dictyota var. dictyota · C. dictyota var. ferruginea · C. diuturna · C. dolichothyrsa · C. dura · C. ekmani · C. ensiformis (Jack Bean) · C. ensiformis var. coriacea · C. ensiformis var. gladiata · C. ensiformis var. normalis · C. eocenia · C. eocenica · C. eurycarpa · C. favieri · C. finlaysoniana · C. forbesii · C. galeata ('awikiwiki) · C. gaudichaudiana · C. glabra · C. gladiata (Sword Bean) · C. gladiata 'Akanata Mame' (Sword Bean) · C. gladiata 'Shironata Mame' (Sword Bean) · C. gladiata f. alba · C. gladiata var. gladiata · C. grandiflora · C. haleakalaensis · C. hawaiiensis (Hawaiian Jackbean) · C. hirsutissima · C. iaoensis · C. kauaiensis (Kauai Jackbean) · C. kauensis · C. kauiensis · C. lineata · C. macrobotrys · C. macropleura · C. madagascariensis · C. makahaensis · C. mandibulata · C. martima · C. mattogrossensis · C. matudae · C. mauiensis · C. megalantha · C. megalantha var. falanruwiae · C. microsperma · C. miocenica · C. mollis · C. molokaiensis (Molokai Jack-Bean) · C. munroi · C. napaliensis (A Jack-Bean) · C. nitida (Bahama Baybean) · C. nualoloensis · C. obidensis · C. cathartica · C. obtusifolia var. versicolor · C. oxiphylla · C. oxyphylla · C. palmeri · C. papuana · C. parviflora · C. peninsularis · C. picta · C. picta var. elliptica · C. picta var. picta · C. piperi · C. plagiosperma (Oblique Seed Jackbean) · C. pubescens (Jack Bean) · C. raiateensis · C. ramosii · C. regalis · C. rockii · C. rosea (Bay Bean) · C. rutilans · C. sanguinea · C. saueri · C. septentrionalis · C. sericea (Dralawa) · C. sericophylla · C. spspensiformis · C. spspsp · C. stenophylla · C. taiwaniana · C. veillonii · C. villosa

Bibliography

• American Soybean Association 1986 Soya Bluebook
• Aubréville, A. et al., eds. 1960–. Flore du Cambodge du Laos et du Viet-Nam. (F CambLVN)
• Brunel, J. F. et al., eds. 1984. Flore analytique du Togo. Phanerogames. (F Togo)
• Correa, J. E. & H. Y. Bernal. 1989–1998. Especies vegetales promisorias de los paises del Convenio Andres Bello. (Esp Veg Prom) 8:108–187.
• Duke, J. A. 1981. Handbook of legumes of world economic importance. (Leg WorldEc)
• Duke, J. A. et al. 2002. CRC Handbook of medicinal herbs. (CRC MedHerbs ed2)
• Encke, F. et al. 1984. Zander: Handwörterbuch der Pflanzennamen, 13. Auflage. (Zander ed13)
• Howard, R. 1974–1989. Flora of the lesser Antilles. (F LAnt)
• Jardim e Museu Agricola do Ultramar, Portugal. 1972–. Flora de Sao Tome e Principe. (F STomPrin)
• Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium. 1976. Hortus third. (Hortus 3)
• Mannetje, L. 't & R. M. Jones, eds. 1992. Forages. Plant Resources of South-East Asia (PROSEA). (Pl Res SEAs) 4:74–76.
• Markle, G. M. et al., eds. 1998. Food and feed crops of the United States, ed. 2. (Food Feed Crops US)
• National Academy of Sciences. 1979. Tropical legumes: resources for the future. (Trop Leg)
• Porcher, M. H. et al. Searchable World Wide Web Multilingual Multiscript Plant Name Database (MMPND) - on-line resource. (Pl Names)
• Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants. (Dict Rehm)
• Sauer, J. 1964. Revision of Canavalia. Brittonia 16:142.
• Smith, A. C. 1979–1991. Flora vitiensis nova. (F Viti)
• Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952–. Flora of tropical East Africa. (F TE Afr)
• Uphof, J. C. T. 1968. Dictionary of economic plants, ed. 2. (Dict Econ Pl)
• Verdcourt, B. 1979. A manual of New Guinea legumes. (Leg NewGuin)
• Woodson, R. E. & R. W. Schery, eds. 1943–1980. Flora of Panama. (F Panama)

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Notes

Contributors:

• Bisby FA, Roskov YR, Orrell TM, Nicolson D, Paglinawan LE, Bailly N, Kirk PM, Bourgoin T, van Hertum J, eds (2008). Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life: 2008 Annual Checklist Taxonomic Classification. CD-ROM; Species 2000: Reading, U.K.
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Accessed January 28, 2008. http://www.gbif.org Mediated distribution data from 15 providers.
• ILDIS
• USDA, ARS, National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network - (GRIN) [Online Database]. National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland. URL (April 26, 2008)

Data Sources:

Accessed through GBIF Data Portal January 28, 2008:

• Australian National Herbarium
• , Australian National Herbarium
• Comisión nacional para el conocimiento y uso de la biodiversidad, Herbario del Instituto de Ecología, A.C., México
• Herbarium of the University of Aarhus, The AAU Herbarium Database
• International Plant Genetic Resources Institute(IPGRI), The System-wide Information Network for Genetic Resources
• Missouri Botanical Garden, Missouri Botanical Garden
• National Herbarium of New South Wales, NSW herbarium collection
• National Herbarium of New South Wales, Plants of Papua New Guinea
• US National Plant Germplasm System, United States National Plant Germplasm System Collection
• USDA PLANTS, USDA PLANTS Database

Identifiers:

• Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) Taxonomic Serial Number (TSN): 501179
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility Taxonkey: 13629689
• Globally Unique Identifier: urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:146609-3
• Natural Heritage Network Species Identifier: PDFAB0Q050
• U.S.D.A. Plant Symbol: CAEN4
• Zipcode Zoo Species Identifier: 27693