Teramnus labialis

Family: Fabaceae

What it is like

A variable climbing or trailing herb. It grows 30 cm to 3 m long. The rootstocks are woody and the stems slender. Sometimes plants root at the nodes. The leaves are made up of rounded leaflets 1-8 cm long by 0.5-4 cm wide. They taper towards the tip and are rounded at the base. The leaf stalk is 0.9-4 cm long. The flowering stalk is slender with few flowers. The fruit are 2.5-6 cm long and 2-4 mm wide. The seeds can be smooth or covered with a grainy crust. There are 2 subspecies in West Africa.

There are 8 Teramnus species.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in slightly dry places. In Papua New Guinea it grows from sea level to 100 m altitude. In Africa it grows in grassland between 600-1,800 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Asia, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Central Africa, Central America (country/location of origin), Cuba (country/location of origin), Dominican Republic, East Africa, Eswatini, Guam, Guyana, Haiti, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Jamaica (country/location of origin), Laos, Lesser Antilles (country/location of origin), Madagascar, Malaysia, Mexico (country/location of origin), Mozambique, Myanmar, Nigeria, North America, Pacific, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Puerto Rico, SE Asia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Southern Africa, South America, Sri Lanka, Swaziland, Thailand, Vietnam, West Africa, West Indies (country/location of origin), Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The very young leaves are eaten.

Edible parts

Leaves, seeds, vegetable

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Chantingan, Curvican de jutia, Dau-chi, Kakachangan sapi, Kattualandu, Kattukanam, Koselan, Mashani, Mashaparni, Mashoni, Mashparui, Ran-udid, Ron kaka, Taw-pe, Tripa de jutia, Valiyovelo

Synonyms

Glycine labialis L. f.;