Vigna macrorhyncha

Family: Fabaceae

What it is like

A herb. It can lie along the ground or be a climber. It grows 1.2 m high. The thick rootstock can be 18 cm long by 2-3 cm across. There are rounded tubers about 50 cm deep. The leaves have leaflets that are narrowly oval and 1-9 cm long by 0.3-6.5 cm wide. The flowering shoots are 2-20 cm long. The flower standard is pale purple inside and dull purple or green outside. The pods are 5-14 cm long by 3-4 mm wide. They are almost straight.

One kg of tubers can have 780 calories.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows in dry areas. It can be in woodland or grassland. It grows below 2,100 m above sea level. It can grow in arid places.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Burundi, Central Africa, Congo, East Africa, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Middle East, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, West Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The roots are peeled and eaten raw or lightly roasted.

Edible parts

Root, tuber

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

Phaseolus macrorhynchus Harms; Phaseolus schimperi Taub.; Phaseolus stenocarpus Harms; Vigna proboscidella Chiov.; The name may have changed to Wajira grahamiana (Wight & Arn.) Thulin & Lavin;