Mucuna
Mucuna sloanei
mucuna, sea bean
horse-eye bean
trailing or climbing, pubescent.
climbing.
alternate, odd-pinnate;
stipules present, lanceolate;
petiolate;
leaflets 3, stipels present, blade margins entire, surfaces pubescent.
stipules 1–3 mm;
petiole 2.9–11.1 cm, pubescent;
terminal leaflet blade ovate, 7–15 cm, base rounded, lateral blade base oblique, apex acuminate, surfaces silver-gray, strigose abaxially, pubescent adaxially.
10–40-flowered, axillary, racemes or umbelliform, pendent;
bracts present, caducous.
umbelliform.
0.5–1.5 cm, pubescent.
papilionaceous;
calyx 2-lipped, lobes 5, pubescent;
corolla white, yellow, or purple, 30–65 mm;
stamens 10, diadelphous;
anthers dorsifixed;
ovary pubescent.
calyx 15–20 mm, abaxial lip 3-lobed, adaxial lip broad, rounded;
corolla yellow, 45–65 mm.
legumes, pendent, pedicellate, brown, oblong, compressed between seeds, dehiscent, pubescent, often with stinging hairs, ridges longitudinal or transverse.
9–12(–16) × 4–6 cm, setose, irritating hairs present, transverse ridges conspicuous.
1–6, black to brown or white, 1–2 cm diam., spherical to oblong, smooth;
hilum lateral.
1–3, brown to black, spherical, 2–3 cm;
hilum black, nearly encircling seed, not elevated.
, annual or perennial, herbaceous or woody, unarmed.
perennial.
= 11.
= 22.
Mucuna
Mucuna sloanei
Species ca. 100 (2 in the flora).
Pending resolution of generic relationships, we follow G. P. Lewis et al. (2005) in treating Mucuna in a broad sense to encompass Stizolobium. The status of putative cultigens, such as M. aterrima (Piper & Tracy) Holland and M. deeringiana (treated here as a synonym of M. pruriens), needs further study. Phylogenetic studies are also needed to resolve issues in species circumscription and the proper application of names, particularly for extralimital taxa.
In addition to the taxa treated below, some species of Mucuna collected from tropical Asia were grown experimentally at the United States Department of Agriculture Experiment Station in Biloxi, Mississippi. These include M. aterrima (= M. pruriens according to R. A. Howard 1974–1989, vol. 4), Stizolobium cinereum Piper & Tracy (no name yet available in Mucuna), M. hassjoo (Piper & Tracy) Mansfeld (= M. pruriens var. utilis according to V. A. Funk et al. 2007), M. lyonii Merrill, M. nivea (Roxburgh) de Candolle ex Wight & Arnott, M. pachylobia Rock, M. stans Welwitsch ex Baker, and M. velutina Hasskarl. There is no evidence that these taxa have escaped.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
In the flora area, Mucuna sloanei is known from Broward and Miami-Dade counties.
The seeds of Mucuna sloanei can be found in decorative jewelry, and, in Nigeria, a black dye is extracted from the plant and used to dye fabric and leather (P. C. M. Jansen 2005). Mucuna sloanei is used as a cover crop in tropical areas to supply nitrogen to soil and for weed suppression (I. I. Ibeawuchi 2007). G. O. Obochi et al. (2007) noted that the high protein content of the seed led to use as food and soup thickener in tropical Africa. The mitogenic properties of the seeds are being investigated for their potential in the treatment and diagnosis of human diseases affecting white blood cell production (Obochi et al.).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
1. Legumes 5–9 cm, transverse ridges absent; hilum to 1/4 circumference of seeds, elevated; inflorescences racemes; terminal leaflet blades rhombic-ovate. | M. pruriens |
1. Legumes 9–12(–16) cm, transverse ridges conspicuous; hilum nearly circling seeds, not elevated; inflorescences umbelliform; terminal leaflet blades ovate. | M. sloanei |
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