Arak moth, Jangli moth, Jungle mat bean, African gram
Vigna trilobata

Family: Fabaceae

What it is like

A climbing herb. It grows to 50 cm high. The stems are hairy. The leaflets usually have deep lobes. The lobes are wider at the top. They are 0.8-4.5 cm long and 0.6-4 cm wide. They have fine hairs. The leaf stalk is 0.8-11 cm long. The flowers occur as a few together on short stalks. The flowers are white. The fruit are pods 1.5-4 cm long and 0.3 mm wide.

There are about 150 Vigna species. They are mostly in the tropics.

Where it is found

It grows in tropical places. It grows on grassland and sandy ridges. In Papua New Guinea is occurs from sea level to 5 m altitude. In India it grows up to 2,000 m altitude. In Yunnan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Afghanistan, Africa, Asia, Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, East Africa, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Madagascar, Mauritius, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pacific, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, SE Asia, Sri Lanka, Uganda, Vietnam, West Africa

How it is used for food

The seeds are eaten cooked. The leaves are cooked and eaten as a vegetable. The young pods are cooked and eaten. The roots yield a kind of arrowroot starch.

Edible parts

Seeds, pods, leaves, fruit, tuber

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Ceruvidukol, Elipayer, Jangli mug, Kattupayaru, Mataki, Mathan, Minima, Mudhaparni, Mugam, Mugan, Mugni, Mukni, Mungi, Naripayer, Panipayer, Pillipesara, Rakhalkalai, Ranmatki, Taw-matpe, Trianguli

Synonyms

Phaseolus trilobus sensu Ait. non Dolichos trilobus L.; Dolichos trilobatus Linn.; Phaseolus trilobatus (Linn.) Schreb.;