Canavalia ensiformis   

Canavalia ensiformis   .jpg

NAME: Canavalia ensiformis   

FAMILY: Leguminosae

COMMON NAMES: Wonder bean, Sword bean, horse bean

LOCAL NAMES: Ponpondo, sese-nla

MORPHORLOGICAL DESCRIPTION: This is an annual to short-lived perennial plant that can be bushy or twining plant up to about 2m in height. It is resistant to drought because of it deep roots

USEFUL PART(s): seed, pod

GENERAL USES:

  • The roasted seed is used as a coffee substitute

  • Young foliage is edible

  • Unripe seeds are cooked and eaten like broad beans

GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION

  • Central America, Caribbean.

WHY IS IT GREEN?

  • Antibiotic

  • antiseptic

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

  • It is cultivated as a cover crop to conserve and fertilize the soil for other crops

  • The beans are mildly toxic, and copious consumption should be avoided

FUN FACT

FURTHER READINGS

Mubiru, D. N., & Coyne, M. S. (2009). Legume cover crops are more benefi cial than natural fallows in minimally tilled ugandan soils. Agronomy Journal. https://doi.org/10.2134/agronj2007.0391

Postal, M., Martinelli, A. H. S., Becker-Ritt, A. B., Ligabue-Braun, R., Demartini, D. R., Ribeiro, S. F. F., Pasquali, G., Gomes, V. M., & Carlini, C. R. (2012). Antifungal properties of Canavalia ensiformis urease and derived peptides. Peptides. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.peptides.2012.08.010

Sridhar, K. R., & Seena, S. (2006). Nutritional and antinutritional significance of four unconventional legumes of the genus Canavalia - A comparative study.Food Chemistry. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2005.07.049