Velvet bean
Mucuna pruriens var. utilis

Family: Fabaceae

What it is like

A climbing bean with vines 2-3 m long. It is an annual herb. The stems are slender and twining. The leaves have 3 leaflets. Leaves are hairy when young but without hairs when older. Leaflets are about 10-18 cm long x 8-15 cm wide. Leaves are dark green above and paler underneath. Flowers are purplish. Pods are 9-14 cm long, hard, curved and covered with soft hairs. There are 4-6 white seeds inside.

There are about 100 Mucuna species. They grow in tropical places. It is a valuable green manure crop especially for maize.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. A bean of low altitudes. The wild species is used as a cover crop in coconut plantations. It needs a sunny location. It can grow in arid places. In Sichuan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Asia, Australia, Bangladesh, Barbados, Central Africa, Central America, China, Congo, East Africa, Fiji, Guadeloupe, Guianas, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Hawaii, East Timor, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Japan, Kenya, Laos, Malawi, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mozambique, Myanmar, Pacific, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Reunion, SE Asia, Solomon Islands, South America, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Taiwan, Tanzania, Timor-Leste, Uganda, USA, Venezuela, West Africa, West Indies, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The young leaves, young pods and ripe seeds are edible cooked. They are also made into pickles. The beans are cooked and the water discarded and this is repeated until the beans are not bitter. This probably removes cyanide. Ripe seeds are roasted and eaten. They are also used as a coffee substitute. Caution: Be sure the edible form is chosen.

Plants are grown and used occasionally in some coastal areas of Papua New Guinea. It is cultivated.

Edible parts

Leaves, pods, seeds

How it is grown

Plants are grown from seed. They can also be grown from cuttings.

Its other names

Local names

Aong-lawk, Bengal bean, Black velvet bean, Cafe Brazilii, Florida Velvet bean, Georgia velvet bean, Gwe-nge-pe, Kaf, Kuiriee, Kwe-ye-pe, Kywele-pe, Mascate, Mauritius bean, Pe-det-anet, Ra, Yom-nung

Synonyms

Carpopogon capitatum Roxb.; Carpopogon niveum Roxb.; Marcanthus cochinchinensis Lour.; Mucuna aterrima (Piper & Tracy) Holland; Mucuna capitata Wight & Arn.; Mucuna cochinchinensis (Lour.) A. Chev.; Mucuna deeringiana (Bort) Merr.; Mucuna pachylobia (Piper & Tracy) Rock; Mucuna pruriens var. biflora Trimen; Mucuna utilis Wall. ex Wight; Mucuna velutina Hassk.; Stizolobium aterrimum Piper & Tracy; Stizolobium capitatum (Roxb.) Kuntz; Stizolobium cinereum Piper & Tracy; Stizolobium deeringianum Bort; Stizolobium hassjoo Piper & Tracy; Stizolobium microspermum Piper; Stizolobium niveum (Roxb.) Kuntze; Stizolobium pachylobium Piper & Tracy; Stizolobium pruritum subsp. maculatum Piper; Stizolobium pruritum subsp. officinale Piper; Stizolobium pruritum var. biflorum (Trimen) Piper; Stizolobium utile (Wall. ex Wight) Piper & Tracy; Stizolobium velutinum (Hassk.) Piper & Tracy;