Edible: Seeds, Leaves, Pods, Spice, Vegetable
A climbing or sometimes bushy and upright bean plant. Mostly it is a climber. It can be 4 m long. The leaves have 3 large leaflets. The leaflets are oval and 7.5-20 cm long by 5-12 cm wide. The top of the leaf can narrow abruptly to a tip while the base can be rounded or broadly wedge shaped. The leaves are slightly hairy on both surfaces. The leaf stalk is 5-12 cm long. The flowers are in groups and are white. The flower cluster is 7-12 cm long and the flower cluster stalk 4-20 cm long. The individual flower stalks are 2 mm long. The pods are long (20-40 cm) and curved. Seeds are coloured red or pink. The hilum is dark brown and almost as long as the seed.
A tropical plant. It requires a tropical climate. Temperatures of 20-30°C suit it well and it grows from sea level to about 1000 m altitude in equatorial zones. They are drought and salt resistant. They can grow on lowland tropical nutrient depleted soils. They can grow on soils with pH from 4.5-7.0. They can tolerate some shade. In Yunnan.
Common Names: Sword bean, Abai, Abbo, Alad, Baikang, Baikng, Bara sem, Bo ba ji noe, Bon shim, Carabanz, Chemma kaaya, Dau-rua, Frijol cafe, Frijol de machete, Ghevada, Habas, Jangli Sem, Jungli abhui, Kacang parasman, Kacang polong, Kachang hantu, Kachang nyonya, Kachang parang, Kaos parasman, Kara pedang, Kara wedung, Koas bakol, Lal kadsumbal, Madezo, Magtambokau, Makhan shim, Moushim, Naga sem, Nam-nawbaw, Namtaipee, Nkasa, Pe-dalet, Pe-dama, Pe-damouk, Pe-det, Pe-gale, Pe-naung-ni, Rar bu-shot kwen-e, Sanndaek triehs, Scimitar-bean, Segapu thambattai, Sem, Shembi avare, Tarvardi, Thampattai, Thua phraa, Tioeuhs, Tua pra, Tumbekai, Yerra tamma
Synonyms:
Canavalia ensiformis (L.) DC. var. alba Makino;
Canavalia ensiformis auct. non (L.) DC.;
Canavalia ensiformis (L.) DC. var. gladiata (Jacq.) Kuntze;
Canavalia gladiata (Jacq.) DC. var. alba (Makino) Hisauti;
Canavalia gladiata (Jacq.) DC. var. machaeroides DC.;
Canavalia gladiolata J. D. Sauer;
Canavalia incurva (Thunb.) DC.;
Canavalia incurva Thouars;
Canavalia loureirii G. Don.;
Canavalia machaeroides (DC.) Steudel;
Canavalia maxima Thouars;
Dolichos gladiatus Jacq.;
Dolichos incurvus Thunb.;
Malocchia gladiata (Jacq.) Savi;