Wild soya bean
Glycine max subsp. soja

Family: Fabaceae

What it is like

An annual climber. The branches are slender. The leaves have 3 leaflets. The leaflets are broadly sword shaped. The flowers are purple-red. They are 4 mm long. They are in groups in the axils of leaves. The pods are 3 cm long and 4 mm wide. There are 2-4 black seeds.

There are 10 Glycine species.

Where it is found

It is a subtropical plant. It grows between 150-2,650 m above sea level in China. It grows in wetlands.

Countries/locations it is found in

Afghanistan, Asia, China, Europe, India, Japan, Korea, Mongolia, Russia, Taiwan, Turkey, Türkiye

How it is used for food

The seeds are used as a grain. It needs to be well cooked. Caution: It is toxic raw.

Edible parts

Leaves, seeds

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

Glycine formosa Hosok.; Glycine soja Siebold & Zucc.; and others