Vigna pilosa
(Klein ex Willd.) Baker
Wikimedia Commons - George Muttathil Pulikurumba
Wikimedia Commons - FarEnd2018
What to Eat
Edible parts: Seeds
Root tubers of Vigna species have traditionally been used as food by the Indigenous Peoples of the Northern Territory of Australia.
Where to Find It
A tropical plant. It grows in hedges and bamboo forest. It grows from low elevation up to 1,000 m above sea level. It can withstand water-logging.
Asia, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Northeastern India, Philippines, SE Asia, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam,
How to Identify
A climbing bean plant herb. It grows 1-3 m long. The branches are tender and white and hairy. The leaves have 3 leaflets. The leaf stalk is 3-5 cm long. The leaflets are oval and taper to the tip while being rounded at the base. They are 2-10 cm long by 1-8 cm wide. The flowers are in a group 12 cm long in the axils of the leaves. The pods are narrow and 6-14 cm long by 5-7 mm wide. The seeds are cylinder shaped and 5-7 mm long by 4 mm wide. They are black.
Production
It grows slowly and does not produce a lot of seeds.
Notes
There are about 150 Vigna species. They are mostly in the tropics.
Names & Synonyms
Jhikrai, Malkonia, Taw-pe
References (5)
- Ambasta, S.P. (Ed.), 2000, The Useful Plants of India. CSIR India. p 677
- Davis, S.D., Heywood, V.H., & Hamilton, A.C. (eds), 1994, Centres of plant Diversity. WWF. Vol 1 or 2. p 140
- J. D. Hooker, Fl. Brit. India 2:207. 1876
- Singh, H.B., Arora R.K.,1978, Wild edible Plants of India. Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi. p 83
- Wild edible plants of Himachal Pradesh
