Entada phaseoloides
(L.) Merr.
Match box bean
(c) 丁洪波, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by 丁洪波
(c) catchwords, some rights reserved (CC BY)
(c) catchwords, some rights reserved (CC BY)
What to Eat
Edible parts: Seeds, Kernel, Leaves, Nuts, Fruit, Pods, Caution
All edible uses should be treated with care, as the plant is also reported to be poisonous. The seeds can be eaten after soaking and roasting — although toxic raw, they can be rendered edible by prolonged soaking and roasting, specifically by roasting, baking, grinding, and immersing in running water for 10–12 hours. The dark brown seeds are 4–6cm in diameter and contain two saponins. The roasted seeds have been used as a coffee substitute, and an edible oil is obtained from them. Leaves are eaten both raw and cooked as a vegetable. Sap from cut branches is used as a drink.
Known Hazards
Where to Find It
It is a tropical plant. It is sensitive to cold. It needs well drained soils. They are found throughout the Philippines occurring everywhere in tropical forests. In Yunnan in China it grows between 800-1300 m altitude. It grows in subtropical broadleaved evergreen forest. In XTBG Yunnan.
Africa, American Samoa, Andamans, Asia, Australia, Bangladesh, Central Africa, Central America, China, Congo, Cook Islands, East Africa, East Timor, Fiji, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Jamaica, Japan, Madagascar, Malaysia, Marianas, Marquesas, Micronesia, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Northeastern India, Pacific, Papua New Guinea, PNG, Philippines, Pohnpei, Samoa, SE Asia, Sierra Leone, Sikkim, Taiwan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Wallis and Futuna, West Africa, West Indies, West Timor, Yap,
How to Identify
A tree climber which forms loops between branches. The stems are thick 12 cm across and irregularly round. They are twisted or have an irregular spiral. The small branches are slender. The leaves have long leaf stalks. The leaves are twice divided. The leaflets are 2.5 to 5 cm long and like leather. The flower stalk is 15 cm or more long. The flowers are 2 to 3 mm long and attached without a stalk. They are yellowish white. They are crowded on a long spike in the axils of leaves. The few pods hang down and the beans have flattened sides and are chocolate brown. They can be 1 m long. They are woody and jointed between the seeds.
Nutrition Score: 28/100
| Part | Moisture | kJ | kcal | Protein | Vit A | Vit C | Iron | Zinc |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seed | 9.1 | — | — | 23.5 | — | — | — | — |
How to Grow
Plants can be grown from seed. The hard seed coat needs to be cut prior to sowing.
Propagation: Seed has a hard seedcoat and benefits from scarification before sowing. Pour a small amount of nearly boiling water over the seeds, then soak in warm water for 12–24 hours. Seeds that have not swollen can be carefully nicked on the seedcoat, avoiding the embryo, and soaked for a further 12 hours before sowing. Layering is also possible.
Medicinal Uses
The juice of the stem is drunk to relieve rheumatic joint and muscle pains and to treat respiratory ailments. A decoction of the stem is taken for hernia, fish poisoning, and gonorrhoea. The saponin content of the stems makes them useful as a wash for treating a range of skin disorders. Root juice is given for ulcers, abdominal muscle spasms, and headaches. The fruits are regarded as a contraceptive. Mashed seed kernels are used as a poultice for children with colic.
Other Uses
A fatty oil from the seed is used as fuel and as illuminant oil in lamps. The large seeds are used as beads in necklaces; cut in half, the empty seed coats serve as leg rattles for dancers. Seeds are also used in games, as baby teethers, as matchboxes, and as snuff boxes. Bark fibres are made into ropes, sails, and nets. The whole plant is rich in saponins and is used for washing hair and as a detergent — stems are cut into 50–100cm lengths, pounded into thin flat strips, dried, then soaked in water and rubbed to produce a lather that cleanses the scalp effectively. The bark is a source of tannins.
Wikipedia
Source ↗Entada phaseoloides, commonly known in English as the matchbox bean or St. Thomas' bean, is a large twining vine or liana in the pea and bean family Fabaceae, native to a broad area of Asia-Pacific, from China to northern Australia and the southwestern Pacific. It is also known as gugo in the Philippines, where the bark sap is used as a traditional shampoo.
Notes
There are about 30 Entada species. They occur in the tropics. Also as Mimosaceae.
Names & Synonyms
Babari, Bambam, Chian, Chituatua, Cinerope, Cocopa, Elephant creeper, Elva climber, Garambi, Garbe, Garbee bean, Geredi, Ghavaulu, Gila-lewa, Gila, Gilatige, Gilla, Gogo, Hallekayi balli, Kaikavu, Kakkavalli, Kayu gandu, Khavauru, Mackay bean, Malamanchadi, Nicker bean, Peddamadupu, Pangra, Saba, Tifa, Vaheakarabo, Vewu, Wa Lai, Wataqiri
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