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Canavalia

Genus of legumes From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Canavalia
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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]

Quick facts Scientific classification, Species ...

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]

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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.[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.

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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.

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History

The genus name Canavalia was, as recently as 1913, known as Canavali.[5] The name of the genus comes from a common name for Canavalia rosea used in India and adapted by Augustin Pyramus de Candolle.[6]

Diversity

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Canavalia cathartica illustration. Francisco Manuel Blanco, Flora de Filipinas, etc. (1880–1883)
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Canavalia lineata

Species include:[7]

  • Canavalia acuminata Rose
  • Canavalia africana Dunn
  • Canavalia altipendula (Piper) Standl.
  • Canavalia aurita J.D. Sauer
  • Canavalia bicarinata Standl.
  • Canavalia boliviana Piper
  • Canavalia bonariensis Lindl.
  • Canavalia brasiliensis Mart. ex Benth.[8] – Barbicou-bean, feijão-bravo do Ceará (Brazil)
  • Canavalia campylocarpa Piper
  • Canavalia cathartica Thouars (syn. C. virosa (Roxb.) Wight & Arn.)
  • Canavalia centralis H.St.John
  • Canavalia concinna J.D.Sauer
  • Canavalia dolichothyrsa G.P. Lewis
  • Canavalia dura J.D. Sauer
  • Canavalia ensiformis (L.) DC. – common jack-bean, giant stock-bean, gotani-bean, horse-bean, seaside-bean, wonder-bean, feijão-de-porco (Brazil)
  • Canavalia eurycarpa Piper
  • Canavalia forbesii H.St.John
  • Canavalia galeata (Gaudich.) Vogel[9] (Oʻahu)[10]
  • Canavalia glabra (M. Martens & Galeotti) J.D.Sauer
  • Canavalia gladiata (Jacq.) DC. – sword bean, scimitar-bean
  • Canavalia grandiflora Benth.
  • Canavalia haleakalaensis H.St.John
  • Canavalia hawaiiensis O.Deg., I.Deg. & J.D.Sauer[9]
  • Canavalia hirsutissima J.D. Sauer
  • Canavalia iaoensis H.St.John
  • Canavalia kauaiensis J.D.Sauer[9]
  • Canavalia lineata (Thunb.) DC.
  • Canavalia macrobotrys Merr.
  • Canavalia macropleura Piper
  • Canavalia madagascariensis J.D.Sauer
  • Canavalia makahaensis H.St.John
  • Canavalia mattogrossensis (Barb. Rodr.) Malme
  • Canavalia matudae J.D. Sauer
  • Canavalia microsperma Urb.
  • Canavalia mollis Wight & Arn.
  • Canavalia molokaiensis O.Deg., I.Deg. & J.D.Sauer[9] – Molokaʻi jack-bean
  • Canavalia munroi (O.Deg. & I.Deg.) H.St.John
  • Canavalia napaliensis H.St.John[9] – Mākaha Valley jack-bean
  • Canavalia nitida (Cav.) Piper – Cathie's bean
  • Canavalia nualoloensis H.St.John
  • Canavalia obidensis Ducke
  • Canavalia oxyphylla Standl. & L.O. Williams
  • Canavalia palmeri (Piper) Standl.
  • Canavalia papuana Merr. & L.M. Perry
  • Canavalia parviflora Benth.
  • Canavalia peninsularis H.St.John
  • Canavalia picta Benth.
  • Canavalia piperi Killip & J.F.Macbr.
  • Canavalia plagiosperma Piper – giant bean, oblique-seed jack-bean
  • Canavalia pubescens Hook. & Arn.[9] – lavafield jack-bean
  • Canavalia raiateensis J.W. Moore
  • Canavalia ramosii J.D. Sauer
  • Canavalia regalis Piper & Dunn
  • Canavalia rockii H.St.John
  • Canavalia rosea (Sw.) DC. – bay bean, beach-bean, coastal jack-bean, fire-bean, Mackenzie-bean
  • Canavalia rutilans DC.
  • Canavalia sanguinea H.St.John
  • Canavalia saueri Fantz
  • Canavalia septentrionalis J.D. Sauer
  • Canavalia sericea A. Gray
  • Canavalia sericophylla Ducke
  • Canavalia stenophylla H.St.John
  • Canavalia villosa Benth.

Formerly placed here

  • Dysolobium grande (Wall. ex Benth.) Prain (as C. grandis (Wall. ex Benth.) Kurz)[8]
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See also

References

External links

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