Wild Jack bean
Canavalia papuana
Family: Fabaceae
What it is like
A climbing bean up to 1-4 m tall. The stems are thin and wiry. They do not have hairs except at the nodes. The leaves have 3 leaflets. The leaf stalks are 4-10 cm long. They have a channel on the top surface. The leaflets are 10-13 cm long by 5-8 cm wide. The leaflets are thin, but oval and pointed at the top. The flowers are about 3 cm long. They are purple with a curved blunt keel. The flowers are in clusters of 10-20 flowers on flower stalks 10-14 cm long. The pods are 6-8 cm long by 1.5-2 cm wide. They are oblong and have a keel. The seeds are dark brown and oblong. They are 1.3 cm long by 8 mm wide. The seed scar is about 1 cm long.
There are about 50 Canavalia species.
Where it is found
A tropical plant. It grows in warm, moist coastal districts. It is very cold sensitive. It needs well drained soil in a sunny position. It grows from 5 to 1250 m altitude in Papua New Guinea. In tropical Australia it grows from sea level to 630 m altitude.
Countries/locations it is found in
Australia (country/location of origin), East Timor, Pacific, Papua New Guinea, SE Asia, Timor-Leste
How it is used for food
The seeds have been used to roast and make coffee.
Edible parts
Seeds - coffee
How it is grown
Plants are grown from seed.