Horse-eye bean
Mucuna urens

Family: Fabaceae

What it is like

A woody vine. It grows 30 m long. The stems are cylinder shaped and smooth. They can be 10 cm across at the base. The leaves are alternate and have 3 leaflets. They usually hang down. The leaflets are 7-14 cm long by 5-7 cm wide. The upper surface is dark green and the lower surface is light green. The end leaflet is narrowly oval with a rounded base and the side leaflets are unequal. The upper surface is dark green and shiny and the lower surface is light green. The flowering shoots hang down and the flowers have rusty hairs. The flowers are are blue to violet or red. The pod is woody and flattened. It is 12-23 cm long by 5-6 cm wide. They is a long point at the tip. There are ribs across the pod and stinging hairs. The seeds are 3.5 cm across. They are brown with a black hilum.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows on river banks and in moist forests.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Antilles, Central America, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Guiana, Guianas, Guyana, Haiti, Hispaniola, Jamaica, Lesser Antilles (country/location of origin), Nigeria, Puerto Rico, South America, Suriname, Trinidad, Venezuela, West Africa, West Indies (country/location of origin)

How it is used for food

CAUTION: They are probably poisonous without treatment.

Edible parts

Seeds

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Mato, Ox-eye-bean, Pica-pica, Tortera

Synonyms

Dolichos altissimus Jacq.; Dolichos urens L.; Mucuna altissima (Jacq.) DC.;