Fabaceae
Mucuna

Mucuna gigantea (Willd.) DC.

First published in Prodr. 2: 405 (1825)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Kenya to S. Africa and Pacific. It is a climbing perennial or shrub and grows primarily in the wet tropical biome.

Descriptions

Leguminosae, B. Mackinder, R. Pasquet, R. Polhill and B. Verdcourt. Flora Zambesiaca 3:5. 2001

Morphology General Habit
Large woody liane attaining 8–15 m in length.
Morphology Stem
Stems at first covered with stiff orange-brown hairs, later glabrescent.
Morphology Leaves Leaflets
Leaflets 4.2–11.5 × 2.2–7.5 cm, elliptic or ovate, the laterals oblique, acuminate and markedly apiculate at the apex, rounded at the base, glabrous; petiole 4.7–12 cm long; rhachis 1.8–3.5 cm long; petiolules 5 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescences mostly from the thick lower stems; rhachis 3–6 cm long; peduncle 4–22 cm long; secondary branches 2–7 mm long, silvery pubescent; pedicels 1–2.5 cm long; bracts 7 × 2.5 mm, oblong; bracteoles 14 × 4 mm, oblong, deciduous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx covered with fine grey pubescence and also long deciduous orange-brown bristles; tube 7–11 mm long; lobes 2–3 mm long, the upper lip scarcely emarginate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Standard pale creamy-green, white or pale lilac, eventually turning black, (2)2.5–3.5 × (1.6)2.2–2.6 cm, round, with very sparse orange bristly hairs, particularly outside at top of claw; wings and keel similarly coloured, (3)3.7–4.6 cm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Pods stipitate, 8–15.3 × 3.5–5(6.4) × 1–1.9 cm, oblong or oblong-elliptic, margins with 2 wings, densely covered with stiff intensely irritant orange-brown bristles.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds brown, densely mottled with black, 2.5–2.9 × 2.1–2.5 × 1.2–1.4 cm, discoid, the faces convex, smooth; hilum extending around the seed-margin for ± three-quarters of the circumference.
[FZ]

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation
Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident
[AERP]

Leguminosae, J. B. Gillett, R. M. Polhill & B. Verdcourt. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1971

Morphology General Habit
Large woody liane attaining 8–15 m. in length.
Morphology Stem
Stems at first covered with stiff orange-brown hairs, later glabrescent.
Morphology Leaves
Leaflets elliptic or ovate, the laterals oblique, 4·2–11·5 cm. long, 2·2–7·5 cm. wide, acuminate and markedly apiculate at the apex, rounded at the base, glabrous; petiole 4·7–12 cm. long; rhachis 1·8–3·5 cm. long; petiolules 5 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescences mostly from the thick lower stems; rhachis 3–6 cm. long; peduncle 4–22 cm. long; secondary branches 2–7 mm. long, silvery pubescent; pedicels 1–2·5 cm. long; bracts oblong, 7 mm. long, 2·5 mm. wide; bracteoles deciduous, oblong, 1·4 cm. long, 4 mm. wide.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx covered with fine grey pubescence and also long deciduous orange-brown bristles; tube 7–11 mm. long; lobes 2–3 mm. long, the upper lip scarcely emarginate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Standard pale creamy-green, white or pale lilac, eventually turning black, round, (2–)2·5–3·5 cm. long, (1·6–)2·2–2·6 cm. wide, with very sparse orange bristly hairs, particularly outside at top of claw; wings and keel similarly coloured, (3–)3·7–4·6 cm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Pods stipitate, oblong or oblong-elliptic, 8–15·3 cm. long, 3·5–5(–6·4) cm. wide, 1–1·9 cm. thick, margins with 2 wings, densely covered with stiff intensely irritant orange-brown bristles.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds brown densely mottled with black, discoid, the faces convex, smooth, longest dimension 2·5–2·9 cm., shorter dimension 2·1–2·5 cm., thickness 1·2–1·4 cm.; hilum extending around the seed-margin for ± three-quarters of the circumference.
[FTEA]

International Legume Database and Information Service

Conservation
Not Threatened
Ecology
Africa: Lake Victoria regional mosaic; forest., Lake Victoria regional mosaic; bushland and thicket, Zanzibar-Inhambane regional transition zone; forest, Zanzibar-Inhambane regional transition zone; bushland and thicket.
Morphology General Habit
Perennial, Climbing, Herb/Shrub
Vernacular
Elaphant Cowitch, Feseka Uli, Kana-pus-waela, Liane Cadoque, Liane Caiman, Mort aux Rats, Sea Bean, Tutae Pua, Wakore
[ILDIS]

Uses

Use
Toxins
[ILDIS]

Common Names

English
Sea Bean

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • Flora Zambesiaca

    • Flora Zambesiaca
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of Tropical East Africa

    • Flora of Tropical East Africa
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • International Legume Database and Information Service

    • International Legume Database and Information Service (ILDIS) V10.39 Nov 2011
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Living Collection Database

    • Common Names from Plants and People Africa http://www.plantsandpeopleafrica.com/

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Science Photographs

    • Copyright applied to individual images

  • World Checklist of Vascular plants (WCVP)

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0