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Mung bean (Vigna radiata)

Dlium Mung bean (Vigna radiata)

Mung bean (Vigna radiata) is a species of plant in the Fabaceae, herbaceous, climbing or upright, 15-125 cm long, lateral root system, branching stems, sometimes twisted at the ends, young stems are purple or green, mature stems are grayish yellow or chocolate.

V. radiata has ovate or broadly ovate leaves, the cotyledons die after emergence and ternate leaves are produced on two single leaves. Leaves are 6-12 cm long and 5-10 cm wide. Racema with yellow flowers in the axils and tips of the leaves with 10-25 flowers per pedicel.





Fruits are pods, elongated cylindrical or flat cylindrical, usually 30-50 pods per plant. The pods are 5-10 cm long, 0.4-0.6 cm wide and contain 12-14 seeds separated by a septum, green or yellow or brown or blue and cylindrical or round in shape.

Germination usually occurs in 4-5 days, but the actual rate varies according to the amount of moisture. It is epigeal in shape with the stem and cotyledons emerging from the seedbed. Ripening up to 60 days.

This plant has a symbiotic relationship with rhizobia and fixes nitrogen in the atmosphere (58-109 kg per ha of green beans). Biomass 7.16 t/ha and nitrogen to soil 30-251 kg/ha. It can be used as a cover crop before or after rotational cereal crops, thus providing a good green manure. This species grow in warm season, temperate, subtropical and tropical climates. Temperature 15-18C and soil pH 6.2-7.2.

Green beans are known for their high nutritional value with 55-65% carbohydrates and rich in protein, vitamins and minerals. It consists of 20-50% proteins, among which globulins (60%) and albumin (25%). Grains and green bean sprouts produce lower calories than other cereals, so they are good for people with obesity and diabetes.

TAXON

Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Tracheophyta
Subphylum: Angiospermae
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Subfamily: Faboideae
Tribe: Phaseoleae
Subtribe: Phaseolinae
Genus: Vigna Savi in Nuovo Giorn. Lett., ser. 3, 8: 113 (1824)
Species: Vigna radiata L.) R.Wilczek in Fl. Congo Belge 6: 386 (1954)
Variety: Vigna radiata var. radiata, Vigna radiata var. setulosa (Dalzell) Ohwi & H.Ohashi, Vigna radiata var. sublobata (Roxb.) Verdc.

HOMOTYPIC SYNONYMS

Azukia radiata (L.) Ohwi in Bull. Natl. Sci. Mus. Tokyo 33: 77 (1953)
Phaseolus radiatus L. in Sp. Pl.: 725 (1753)

PUBLICATIONS

Akoègninou, A., van der Burg, W.J. & van der Maesen, L.J.G. (eds.) (2006). Flore Analytique du Bénin: 1-1034. Backhuys Publishers.

Baksh-Comeau, Y., Maharaj, S.S., Adams, C.D., Harris, S.A., Filer, D.L. & Hawthorne, W.D. (2016). An annotated checklist of the vascular plants of Trinidad and Tobago with analysis of vegetation types and botanical 'hotspots'. Phytotaxa 250: 1-431.

Balslev, H. & Chantaranothai, P. (2023). Flora of Thailand 4(3.3.): 489-715. The Forest Herbarium, Royal Forest Department.

Berhaut, J. (1976). Flore illustrée du Sénégal 5: 1-658. Gouvernement du Sénégal, Ministère du développement rural direction des eaux et forêta, Dakar.

Boudet, G., Lebrun, J.P. & Demange, R. (1986). Catalogue des plantes vasculaires du Mali: 1-465. Etudes d'Elevage et de Médecine Vétérinaire des Pays Tropicaux.

Brako, L. & Zarucchi, J.L. (1993). Catalogue of the Flowering Plants and Gymnosperms of Peru. Monographs in Systematic Botany from the Missouri Botanical Garden 45: i-xl, 1-1286. Missouri Botanical Garden.

Brundu, G. & Camarda, I. (2013). The Flora of Chad: a checklist and brief analysis. PhytoKeys 23: 1-18.

Chang, C.S., Kim, H. & Chang, K.S. (2014). Provisional checklist of vascular plants for the Korea peninsula flora (KPF): 1-660. DESIGNPOST.

Coi, B.H. in Lee, Yong No (2024). Flora of Korea 5a-3: 1-97. Kyo-Hak Publ. Co., Ltd.

Dar, G.H. & Govaerts, R.H.A. (2025). Flora of Kashmir Himalaya: Sind Valley 1: 1-606. Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh, Dehradun, India.

Darbyshire, I., Kordofani, M., Farag, I., Candiga, R. & Pickering, H. (eds.) (2015). The Plants of Sudan and South Sudan: 1-400. Kew publishing, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Du Puy, D.J., Labat, N.-N., Rabevohitra, R., Villiers, J.-F., Bosser, J. & Moat, J. (2002). The Leguminosae of Madagascar: 1-737. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Dy Phon, P. (2000). Dictionnaire des plantes utilisées au Cambodge: 1-915. Chez l'auteur, Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

Figueiredo, E. & Smith, G.F. (2008). Plants of Angola. Strelitzia 22: 1-279. National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.

George, A.S., Orchard, A.E. & Hewson, H.J. (eds.) (1993). Oceanic islands 2. Flora of Australia 50: 1-606. Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra.

Gosline, G., Bidault, E., van der Burgt, X., Cahen, D., Challen, G., Condé, N., Couch, C., Couvreur, T.L.P., Dagallier, L.M.J., Darbyshire, I., Dawson, S., Doré, T.S., Goyder, D., Grall, A., Haba, P., Haba, P., Harris, D., Hind, D.J.N., Jongkind, & al. (2023). A Taxonomically-verified and Vouchered Checklist of the Vascular Plants of the Republic of Guinea. Nature, scientific data 10, Article number: 327: [1]-[12].

Kumar, S. & Sane, P.V. (2003). Legumes of South Asia. A Checklist: 1-536. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Kumar, S. (2012). Herbaceous flora of Jaunsar-Bawar (Uttarkhand), India: enumerations. Phytotaxonomy 12: 33-56.

Lebrun, J.P., Toutain, B., Gaston, A. & Boudet, G. (1991). Catalogue des Plantes Vasculaires du Burkina Faso: 1-341. Institut d' Elevage et de Médecine Vétérinaire des Pays Tropicaux, Maisons Alfort.

Lee, W.T. (1996). Lineamenta Florae Koreae: 1-1688. Soul T'ukpyolsi: Ak'ademi Sojok.

Lepschi, B. & Monro, A. (Project Coordinators) (2014). Australian Plant Census (APC) Council of Heads of Australian Herbaria. http://www.anbg.gov.au/chah/apc/index.html.

Lisowski, S. (2009). Flore (Angiospermes) de la République de Guinée. Scripta Botanica Belgica 41: 1-517.

Lock, J.M. & Ford, C.S. (2004). Legumes of Malesia a Check-List: 1-295. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Lock, J.M. & Heald, J. (1994). Legumes of Indo-China a check-list: 1-164. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Lock, J.M. (1989). Legumes of Africa a check-List: 1-619. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Nelson Sutherland, C.H. (2008). Catálogo de las plantes vasculares de Honduras. Espermatofitas: 1-1576. SERNA/Guaymuras, Tegucigalpa, Honduras.

Nurtjahya, E. & al. (2026). Flowering Plants of Bangka Island: Native and Introduced. Acta Botanica Hungarica 68: 127-156.

Pasha, M.K. & Uddin, S.B. (2013). Dictionary of plant names of Bangladesh, Vasc. Pl.: 1-434. Janokalyan Prokashani, Chittagong, Bangladesh.

Peyre de Fabregues, B. & Lebrun, J.-P. (1976). Catalogue des Plantes Vascularies du Niger: 1-433. Institut d' Elevage et de Médecine Vétérinaire des Pays Tropicaux, Maisons Alfort.

Rechinger, K.H. & al. (1984). Papilionaceae II. Flora Iranica 157: 1-499. Naturhistorisches Museums Wien.

Sita, P. & Moutsambote, J.-M. (2005). Catalogue des plantes vasculaires du Congo, ed. sept. 2005: 1-158. ORSTOM, Centre de Brazzaville.

Stace, C. (2019). New Flora of the British Isles ed. 4: 1-1266. C & M Floristics.

Thulin, M. (ed.) (1993). Flora of Somalia 1: 1-493. The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Townsend, C.C. (1974). Flora of Iraq 3: 1-662. Ministry of Agriculture & Agrarian Reform, Baghdad.

Wood, J.R.I. (1997). A handbook of the Yemen Flora: 1-434. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Wu, Z. & Raven, P.H. (eds.) (2010). Flora of China 10: 1-642. Science Press (Beijing) & Missouri Botanical Garden Press (St. Louis).

Yakovlev, G.P., Sytin, A.K. & Roskov, Y.R. (1996). Legumes of Northern Eurasia. A checklist: 1-724. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Zhao, Y.Z., Zhao, L.Q. & Rui, C. (eds.) (2019). Flora Intramongolica, edition 3, 3: 1-513. Typis Intramongolicae popularis, Huhhot.

Zhu, X.Y., Zhang, R.P. & He, Y.L. (eds.) (2021). An inventory of legume species diversity of Myanmar: 1-297. China Minzu university press.

van der Maesen, L.J.G. & Sosef, M.S.M. (2016). Flore du Gabon 49: 1-407. Muséum National D'Histoire Naturelle, Paris; Margraf Publishers, Weikersheim; Meise Botanic Garden.

VERNACULAR NAME

Arabic: بقلة الماش - ماش - حمص أخضر - مج - مجاج - مجة
Bunun: Bainustanaul, Lai-an
Burmese: ပီဒီ-စီယန် Pè-di-sien
Chinese (simplified): 绿豆
Chinese (traditional): 綠豆
Czech: Vigna zlatá
Dutch: Mungboon
English: Mung Bean, Green Gram
Filipino: Mongo, Balatong
Finnish: Mungopapu
Guangdong: 綠豆
Hebrew: שעועית מונג
Hindi: मूंग - पेसरा - मूंग Moong, Pessara, Mūṅg
Hong Kong: 綠豆
Indonesia: Kacang hijau
Italian: Fagiolo Mungo
Japanese: ブンドウ - 文豆 - リョクトウ - ヤエナリ
Java: Kacang Ijo
Kannada: Hesaru kaalu, Hesarukalu
Khmer: ឈូងសមុទ្រសាន់ដេក Sândaèk bay
Korean: 녹두
Kurdish: ماش
Lao: ເທວາ ເຄົາ - ງົມງອກ - ທ້າ ທາຍ Thwàx khiêw, Thwàx ngok, Thwàx sadêk
Macao: 綠豆
Malayalam: Cherupayar
Malaysia: Kacang hijau
Manipuri: Hawai Mung
Marathi: Moog
Oria: Mungo
Portuguese: Feijão-moyashi, feijão-mungo-verde, feijão-da-China e afins, Feijão-mungo, Feijão-mungu, Feijão-soroco
Russian: Фасоль золотистая
Sanskrit: Mudgah, mudga
Slovak: Vigna zlatá
Spanish: Frijol vigna
Swedish: Mungböna
Taiwan: 綠豆
Tamil: பச்சைப்பயறு - பாசிப்பயறு Pachai-payaru, Paasi payaru
Telugu: Pacha-pesalu, Uthulu
Thai: ถั่วเขียว
Urdu: ماش Mash
Vietnam: Dâu xanh, Dâu chè

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