''Canavalia'' is a genus of plants in the legume family (

Fabaceae The Fabaceae or Leguminosae,International Code of Nomenc ...

) that comprises approximately 48 to 50 species of tropical vines. Members of the genus are commonly known as jack-beans. The species of ''Canavalia'' endemic to the

Hawaiian Islands The Hawaiian Islands ( haw, Nā Mokupuni o Hawai‘i) are an archipelago of eight major islands, several atolls, and numerous smaller islets in the North Pacific Ocean, extending some from the island of Hawaii in the south to northernmost Kur ...

were named ''āwikiwiki'' by the

Native Hawaiians Native Hawaiians (also known as Indigenous Hawaiians, Kānaka Maoli, Aboriginal Hawaiians, First Hawaiians, or simply Hawaiians) ( haw, kānaka, , , and ), are the indigenous ethnic group of Polynesian people of the Hawaiian Islands. Hawaii ...

. The name translates to "the very quick one" and comes from the Hawaiian word for "fast". The genus name is derived from the

Malabar Malabar may refer to the following: People * Malabars, people originating from the Malabar region of India * Malbars or Malabars, people of Tamil origin in Réunion Places * Malabar Coast, or Malabar, a region of the southwestern shoreline o ...

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 Lectins are carbohydrate-binding proteins that are highly specific for sugar groups that are part of other molecules, so cause agglutination of particular cells or precipitation of glycoconjugates and polysaccharides. Lectins have a role in rec ...

concanavalin A, which is used as a

reagent In chemistry, a reagent ( ) or analytical reagent is a substance or compound added to a system to cause a chemical reaction, or test if one occurs. The terms ''reactant'' and ''reagent'' are often used interchangeably, but reactant specifies a ...

glycoprotein Glycoproteins are proteins which contain oligosaccharide chains covalently attached to amino acid side-chains. The carbohydrate is attached to the protein in a cotranslational or posttranslational modification. This process is known as glycos ...

biochemistry and immunology. The jack-bean is also a common source of purified urease enzyme used in scientific research. The bay bean (''

Canavalia rosea ''Canavalia rosea'' is a species of flowering plant of the genus ''Canavalia'' in the pea family, Fabaceae, that has a pantropical distribution. Common names include beach bean, bay bean, seaside jack-bean, coastal jack-bean, and MacKenzie bean. ...

'') is supposedly mildly

psychoactive A psychoactive drug, psychopharmaceutical, psychoactive agent or psychotropic drug is a chemical substance, that changes functions of the nervous system, and results in alterations in perception, mood, consciousness, cognition or behavior. Th ...

when smoked, and is used in tobacco substitutes.

Ecology

Some animals have adaptations to the defensive chemicals of jack-beans.

Caterpillar Caterpillars ( ) are the larval stage of members of the order Lepidoptera (the insect order comprising butterflies and moths). As with most common names, the application of the word is arbitrary, since the larvae of sawflies (suborder Sym ...

s such as that of the

two-barred flasher ''Astraptes fulgerator'', the two-barred flasher, is a spread-wing skipper butterfly in the genus '' Astraptes'' which may constitute a possible cryptic species complex. It ranges all over the Americas, from the southern United States to north ...

(''Astraptes fulgerator'') are sometimes found on ''Canavalia''. The

plant pathogen Plant pathology (also phytopathology) is the scientific study of diseases in plants caused by pathogens (infectious organisms) and environmental conditions (physiological factors). Organisms that cause infectious disease include fungi, oomyc ...

ascomycete Ascomycota is a phylum of the kingdom Fungi that, together with the Basidiomycota, forms the subkingdom Dikarya. Its members are commonly known as the sac fungi or ascomycetes. It is the largest phylum of Fungi, with over 64,000 species. The defi ...

fungus '' Mycosphaerella canavaliae'' was described from a jack-bean. Introduced

herbivore A herbivore is an animal anatomically and physiologically adapted to eating plant material, for example foliage or marine algae, for the main component of its diet. As a result of their plant diet, herbivorous animals typically have mouthpart ...

s have wreaked havoc on ''Canavalia'' on the

and made some nearly

extinct Extinction is the termination of a kind of organism or of a group of kinds (taxon), usually a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and ...

; it may be that these lost their chemical defenses because no herbivorous

mammal Mammals () are a group of vertebrate animals constituting the class Mammalia (), characterized by the presence of mammary glands which in females produce milk for feeding (nursing) their young, a neocortex (a region of the brain), fur or ...

s existed in their range until introduced by humans. The usually bright pea-flowers are pollinated by insects such as

solitary bee Bees are winged insects closely related to wasps and ants, known for their roles in pollination and, in the case of the best-known bee species, the western honey bee, for producing honey. Bees are a monophyletic lineage within the super ...

s and carpenter bees such as '' Xylocopa confusa''.

History

The genus name ''Canavalia'' was, as recently as 1913, known as ''Canavali''.

Diversity

Canavalia lineata (sagar-abai) in Kawal WS, AP W2 IMG 2205

Species include: *'' Canavalia acuminata'' Rose *''

Canavalia africana ''Canavalia'' is a genus of plants in the legume family (Fabaceae) that comprises approximately 48 to 50 species of tropical vines. Members of the genus are commonly known as jack-beans. The species of ''Canavalia'' endemic to the Hawaiian Islan ...

'' Dunn *'' Canavalia altipendula'' ( Piper) Standl. *'' Canavalia aurita'' J.D. Sauer *'' Canavalia bicarinata'' Standl. *'' Canavalia boliviana'' Piper *'' Canavalia bonariensis'' Lindl. *''

Canavalia brasiliensis ''Canavalia'' is a genus of plants in the legume family (Fabaceae) that comprises approximately 48 to 50 species of tropical vines. Members of the genus are commonly known as jack-beans. The species of ''Canavalia'' endemic to the Hawaiian ...

'' Mart. ex Benth. – 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 ''Canavalia ensiformis'' (jack bean) is a legume which is used for animal fodder and human nutrition, especially in Brazil where it is called ''feijão-de-porco'' ("pig bean"). It is also the source of concanavalin A. Description ''C. ensif ...

'' ( L.)

DC. Augustin Pyramus (or Pyrame) de Candolle (, , ; 4 February 17789 September 1841) was a Swiss botanist. René Louiche Desfontaines launched de Candolle's botanical career by recommending him at a herbarium. Within a couple of years de Candolle ...

– 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 ( Oahu) *'' Canavalia glabra'' (M. Martens & Galeotti) J.D.Sauer *''

Canavalia gladiata ''Canavalia gladiata'', the sword bean or scimitar bean, is a domesticated plant species in the legume family Fabaceae. It is used as a vegetable in interior central and south central India, though not commercially farmed. The unripe pods are al ...

'' (Jacq.) DC. – sword bean, scimitar-bean *'' Canavalia grandiflora'' Benth. *'' Canavalia haleakalaensis'' H.St.John *'' Canavalia hawaiiensis'' O.Deg., I.Deg. & J.D.Sauer *'' Canavalia hirsutissima'' J.D. Sauer *'' Canavalia iaoensis'' H.St.John *'' Canavalia kauaiensis'' J.D.Sauer *'' Canavalia kauensis'' H.St.John *''

Canavalia lineata ''Canavalia'' is a genus of plants in the legume family (Fabaceae) that comprises approximately 48 to 50 species of tropics, tropical vines. Members of the genus are commonly known as jack-beans. The species of ''Canavalia'' Endemism, endemic to ...

'' (Thunb.) DC. *'' Canavalia macrobotrys'' Merr. *'' Canavalia macropleura'' Piper *'' Canavalia madagascariensis'' J.D.Sauer *'' Canavalia makahaensis'' H.St.John *''

Canavalia mattogrossensis ''Canavalia'' is a genus of plants in the legume family (Fabaceae) that comprises approximately 48 to 50 species of tropical vines. Members of the genus are commonly known as jack-beans. The species of ''Canavalia'' endemic to the Hawaiian Islan ...

'' (Barb. Rodr.) Malme *'' Canavalia matudae'' J.D. Sauer *''

Canavalia microsperma ''Canavalia'' is a genus of plants in the legume family (Fabaceae) that comprises approximately 48 to 50 species of tropical vines. Members of the genus are commonly known as jack-beans. The species of ''Canavalia'' endemic to the Hawaiian Islan ...

'' Urb. *'' Canavalia mollis'' Wight & Arn. *'' Canavalia molokaiensis'' O.Deg., I.Deg. & J.D.Sauer – Molokai jack-bean *'' Canavalia munroi'' (O.Deg. & I.Deg.) H.St.John *'' Canavalia napaliensis'' H.St.John – Mākaha Valley jack-bean *'' Canavalia nitida'' (Cav.) Piper – Cathie's bean *'' Canavalia nualoloensis'' H.St.John *''

Canavalia obidensis ''Canavalia'' is a genus of plants in the legume family (Fabaceae) that comprises approximately 48 to 50 species of tropical vines. Members of the genus are commonly known as jack-beans. The species of ''Canavalia'' endemic to the Hawaiian Islan ...

'' Ducke *'' Canavalia oxyphylla'' Standl. & L.O. Williams *'' Canavalia palmeri'' (Piper) Standl. *'' Canavalia papuana'' Merr. & L.M. Perry *''

Canavalia parviflora ''Canavalia'' is a genus of plants in the legume family (Fabaceae) that comprises approximately 48 to 50 species of tropics, tropical vines. Members of the genus are commonly known as jack-beans. The species of ''Canavalia'' Endemism, endemic to ...

'' Benth. *''

Canavalia peninsularis ''Canavalia'' is a genus of plants in the legume family (Fabaceae) that comprises approximately 48 to 50 species of tropical vines. Members of the genus are commonly known as jack-beans. The species of ''Canavalia'' endemic to the Hawaiian Islan ...

'' 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. George Arnott Walker Arnott of Arlary (6 February 1799 – 17 April 1868) was a Scottish botanist. Early life George Arnott Walker Arnott was born in Edinburgh in 1799, the son of David Walker Arnott of Arlary. He attended Milnathort Parish ...

– lavafield jack-bean *'' Canavalia raiateensis'' J.W. Moore *'' Canavalia ramosii'' J.D. Sauer *''

Canavalia regalis ''Canavalia'' is a genus of plants in the legume family (Fabaceae) that comprises approximately 48 to 50 species of tropical vines. Members of the genus are commonly known as jack-beans. The species of ''Canavalia'' endemic to the Hawaiian ...

'' Piper & Dunn *'' Canavalia rockii'' H.St.John *''

'' (Sw.) DC. – bay bean, beach-bean, coastal jack-bean, fire-bean, Mackenzie-bean *''

Canavalia rutilans ''Canavalia'' is a genus of plants in the legume family (Fabaceae) that comprises approximately 48 to 50 species of tropical vines. Members of the genus are commonly known as jack-beans. The species of ''Canavalia'' endemic to the Hawaiian Islan ...

'' DC. *'' Canavalia sanguinea'' H.St.John *'' Canavalia saueri'' Fantz *'' Canavalia septentrionalis'' J.D. Sauer *'' Canavalia sericea'' A. Gray *'' Canavalia sericophylla'' Ducke *''

Canavalia stenophylla ''Canavalia'' is a genus of plants in the legume family (Fabaceae) that comprises approximately 48 to 50 species of tropical vines. Members of the genus are commonly known as jack-beans. The species of ''Canavalia'' endemic to the Hawaiian Islan ...

'' H.St.John *'' Canavalia villosa'' Benth.

Formerly placed here

*'' Dysolobium grande'' (Wall. ex Benth.) Prain (as ''C. grandis'' (Wall. ex Benth.) Kurz)

Gallery

File:Canavalia gladiata - P1100580.JPG, ''

'' File:Starr 040410-0108 Canavalia pubescens.jpg, '' Canavalia pubescens'' File:Starr 080208-2482 Canavalia hawaiiensis.jpg, '' Canavalia hawaiiensis'' File:Canavalia napaliensis (6259061207).jpg, '' Canavalia napaliensis'' File:Beach Bean (Canavalia rosea) (6035947049).jpg, ''

References

External links

* International Plant Names Index
''Canavalia''
taxa database. * {{Taxonbar, from=Q135529 Fabaceae genera Phaseoleae Taxa named by Michel Adanson