Velvet bean
Mucuna pruriens

Family: Fabaceae

What it is like

An evergreen herb of shrub. It is a climbing vine. It climbs to 6 m high. It can re-grow each year or live for a few years. The stems are slender with long, slender branches. They are very hairy when young. The leaves are alternate with sword shaped leaves. The leaf stalks are hairy. There are 3 leaflets. The leaflets are 5-19 cm long and 4-16 cm wide. The leaflets are rounded at the base and the side leaflets are unequal in shape. The flowers are large and white with bluish butterfly shaped petals. They occur in clusters of 2 or 3. The flowers are 2-4 cm long. The fruit are thick, leathery pods covered with hairs. They are 10 cm long and contain 4-6 seeds. The pods are dark brown.

There are about 100 Mucuna species. They grow in tropical places. Chemical composition (seeds - dry weight basis): Moisture g/100g) = 7.29. Ash = 3.87. Fat (ether extractive) = 8.96. Protein (crude) (N x 6.25) = 29.32. Ether extractives =9.0. Nitrogen free extract = 53.7. Fibre (crude) = 4.1. Total ash = 3.9. Calcium (mg/100g) = 218. Phosphorus (mg/100g) = 159. Iron (mg/100g) = 13.52. Niacin (mg/100g) = 3.64. Ascorbic acid (mg/100g) = 4.78. Amino acids: Histidine = 2.8. Lysine = 1.7. Methionine = 0.3. Cysteine = - . Phenylalanine = 1.3. Tyrosine = 0.63. Phenylalanine = 1.93. Isoleucine = 7.5. Valine = 2.9. Threonine = 1.3. T.p. = 1.3. Mucuna pruriens seeds contain L-dopa, the compound used in treatment of Parkinson's disease.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It does best in a rich, moist, well-drained soil. It needs a protected, sunny position. It is damaged by drought and frost. It grows from sea level to 900 m above sea level. In Nepal it grows at 1,300 m above sea level. They need a temperature above 8°C. It can grow in arid places. In Sichuan and Yunnan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Angola, Asia, Australia, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Belize, Bhutan, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Central Africa, Central America, Chad, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Cuba, Dominican Republic, East Africa, Ecuador, El Salvador, Equatorial-Guinea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guiana, Guianas, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Kenya, Laos, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Martinique, Mauritius, Mexico, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Nigeria, North America, Northeastern India, Pacific, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Reunion, Sao Tome and Principe, SE Asia, Seychelles, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Southern Africa, South America, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Uganda, USA, Venezuela, Vietnam, West Africa, West Indies, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The pods are burnt over a fire to remove the prickles then the beans are soaked until they sprout and then washed and boiled or pounded. The young leaves are cooked as a vegetable. The flowers are eaten as a potherb. The ripe seeds are roasted and eaten. Caution: The seeds need special preparation.

It is sold in local markets.

Edible parts

Seeds, young pods, leaves, flowers, vegetable, caution, roots

How it is grown

Plants are grown from seed. The seed need treatment to assist them to germinate.

Its other names

Local names

Alkusa, Baidanka, Bander kokua, Benguk, Buco-nhoale, Buffalo bean, Chitedze, Cosse, Cowage velvetbean, Cowhage, Cowitch, Etka, Fogarate, Frijol terciopelo, Ganhaca, Ganhoma, Gratey, Gwin-nge, Hko-mak-awa, Kauso, Kavaskuri, Kewanch, Khajol, Khajkoyali, Khajkuari, Khaj-kuilee, Khajkuili, Khnhe, Khwele-ya, Lekwanya, Macmeo, M'ple, Mafora, Mamui, Man-sombrina, Manfora, Mege, Mei lan, Mespe, Metafum, Nayuma, Ne qi a yi, Nescafe, Nhahenfa, Nhandebague, Nhanhanaco, Nhanhefa, Ojo de venado, To-ma-awn, Um-hae, Uri:ri

Synonyms

Carpopogon pruriens (L.) Roxb.; Dolichos pruriens L.; Mucuna aterrima (Piper & Tracy) Merr.; Mucuna axillaris Baker; Mucuna bernieriana Baill.; Mucuna cochinchinensis (Lour.) A. Chev.; Mucuna esquirolii A. Leveille; Mucuna minima Haines; Mucuna nivea (Roxb.) DC.; Mucuna prurita (L.) Hook.; Mucuna prurita Hook.; Stizolobium pruritum (Wight) Piper; Stizolobium pruriens (L.) Medic;