Canavalia is a genus of plants in the legume family (Fabaceae) that comprises approximately 73 species of tropical vines. Members of the genus are commonly known as jack-beans. It has a pantropical distribution.
The species of Canavalia endemic to the Hawaiian Islands were named by the Native Hawaiians. The name translates to "the very quick one" (1992): New Pocket Hawaiian Dictionary with a Concise Grammars and Given Names in Hawaiian. University of Hawaii PRess, Honolulu. and comes from the Hawaiian word for "fast". The genus name is derived from the Malabar word for the species, kavavali, which means "forest climber".
Uses Several species are valued legume crops, including common jack-bean (C. ensiformis), sword bean (C. gladiata) and C. cathartica. At least the first makes a beneficial weed- and pathogen-suppressing living mulch. The common jack-bean is also a source of the lectin concanavalin A, which is used as a reagent in glycoprotein biochemistry and immunology. The jack-bean is also a common source of purified urease enzyme used in scientific research.
The bay bean (Canavalia rosea) is supposedly mildly psychoactive when smoked, and is used in tobacco substitutes.
Ecology Some animals have adaptations to the defensive chemicals of jack-beans. Caterpillars such as that of the two-barred flasher (Astraptes fulgerator) are sometimes found on Canavalia. The plant pathogenic ascomycete fungus Mycosphaerella canavaliae was described from a jack-bean. Introduced herbivores have wreaked havoc on Canavalia on the Hawaiian Islands and made some nearly extinct; it may be that these lost their chemical defenses because no herbivorous mammals existed in their range until introduced by humans. The usually bright pea-flowers are pollinated by insects such as solitary bees and carpenter bees such as Xylocopa confusa.
History The genus name Canavalia was, as recently as 1913, known as Canavali.Piper, C. V. 1913. "The Jack Bean and the Sword Bean." USDA Bureau of Plant Industry, Circular. No. 110. p. 29-36 The name of the genus comes from a common name for Canavalia rosea used in India and adapted by Augustin Pyramus de Candolle.
Diversity
Species include:
Canavalia acuminata Canavalia africana Canavalia altipendula Canavalia atroferruginea Canavalia aurita Canavalia beniensis Canavalia bicarinata Canavalia boliviana Canavalia bonariensis Canavalia brasiliensis Canavalia campylodonta Canavalia cassidea Canavalia cathartica Canavalia concinna Canavalia cuchillae Canavalia dolichothyrsa Canavalia dura Canavalia ensiformis – common jack-bean, giant stock-bean, gotani-bean, horse-bean, seaside-bean, wonder-bean, feijão-de-porco (Brazil) Canavalia eurycarpa Canavalia favieri Canavalia galeata (Oahu) Canavalia gibbosa Canavalia glabra Canavalia gladiata – sword bean, scimitar-bean Canavalia gladiolata Canavalia grandiflora Canavalia hawaiiensis Canavalia hirsutissima Canavalia kauaiensis Canavalia lineata Canavalia llanorum Canavalia macrantha Canavalia macrobotrys Canavalia macropleura Canavalia madagascariensis Canavalia mandibulata Canavalia mattogrossensis Canavalia matudae Canavalia mauiensis Canavalia megalantha Canavalia microsperma Canavalia mireyae Canavalia mollis Canavalia molokaiensis – Molokaʻi jack-bean Canavalia napaliensis – Mākaha Valley jack-bean Canavalia nitida Canavalia obidensis Canavalia oxyphylla Canavalia palmeri Canavalia papuana Canavalia parviflora Canavalia picta Canavalia piperi Canavalia plagiosperma – giant bean, oblique-seed jack-bean Canavalia pubescens – lavafield jack-bean Canavalia raiateensis Canavalia ramosii Canavalia reflexiflora Canavalia regalis Canavalia rosea – bay bean, beach-bean, coastal jack-bean, fire-bean, Mackenzie-bean Canavalia rotundata Canavalia rugosa Canavalia saueri Canavalia septentrionalis Canavalia sericea Canavalia sericophylla Canavalia sousae Canavalia straminea Canavalia variegata Canavalia veillonii Canavalia villosa Canavalia vitiensis Canavalia wurdackii
Formerly placed here Dysolobium grande (Wall. ex Benth.) Prain (as C. grandis (Wall. ex Benth.) Kurz)
Gallery
See also Thierry Bardini – researched Venezuelan jack-bean agriculture early in his career
References
External links
International Plant Names Index: Canavalia taxa database.