Canavalia | |
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Canavalia sericea | |
Scientific classification
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Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Rosids |
Order: | Fabales |
Family: | Fabaceae |
Subfamily: | Faboideae |
Tribe: | Diocleae |
Genus: |
Canavalia DC. [1] |
Species [1] | |
62; see text | |
Synonyms [1] | |
|
Canavalia is a genus of plants in the legume family ( Fabaceae) that comprises approximately 62 species of tropical vines. [1] Members of the genus are commonly known as jack-beans. It has a pantropical distribution. [1]
The species of Canavalia endemic to the Hawaiian Islands were named ʻāwikiwiki by the Native Hawaiians. The name translates to "the very quick one" [2] 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." [3]
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. [4] 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.
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.
The genus name Canavalia was, as recently as 1913, known as Canavali. [5]
Species include: [6]
Canavalia | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Canavalia sericea | |
Scientific classification
![]() | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Rosids |
Order: | Fabales |
Family: | Fabaceae |
Subfamily: | Faboideae |
Tribe: | Diocleae |
Genus: |
Canavalia DC. [1] |
Species [1] | |
62; see text | |
Synonyms [1] | |
|
Canavalia is a genus of plants in the legume family ( Fabaceae) that comprises approximately 62 species of tropical vines. [1] Members of the genus are commonly known as jack-beans. It has a pantropical distribution. [1]
The species of Canavalia endemic to the Hawaiian Islands were named ʻāwikiwiki by the Native Hawaiians. The name translates to "the very quick one" [2] 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." [3]
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. [4] 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.
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.
The genus name Canavalia was, as recently as 1913, known as Canavali. [5]
Species include: [6]