Lyon’s Bean, White flowered velvet bean
Mucuna cochinchinensis

Family: Fabaceae

What it is like

A vigorous climber. It can be 10 m long. The stem is round with stripes along it. It has some soft hairs. The leaves have 3 leaflets. The leaflets are broadly oval. The end one is almost round and the side ones are unequal. The end one is 8-12 cm long by 5-8 cm wide. The leaf stalk is 8-15 cm long. The flowers are violet or blue and 4-5 cm long. The fruit are large pods 7-10 cm long by 1 cm wide. They are covered with white hairs. There are 5 egg shaped seeds.

There are about 100 Mucuna species. They grow in tropical places.

Where it is found

A tropical plant.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Bangladesh, China, India, Indochina, Laos, Myanmar, Pacific, Philippines, SE Asia, Vietnam

How it is used for food

The fresh tender fruit are eaten as a vegetable after removing the velvety skin. The mature seeds are cooked and eaten. They are also used to make a sauce. The seeds are also roasted, ground and used as a coffee substitute. The flowers are used in salads.

Edible parts

Seeds, pods, flowers, seeds - coffee

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Babaoging sanawel, Dau meo, Gwe-nge-pe, Kamach, Kau Tsau, Kursi Tau, Khway-lay-pe, Pe-det-net, Pois mascate

Synonyms

Mucuna nivea DC. ; Mucuna lyonii Merr.; Stizolobium niveum Kuntze;