Hyacinth bean (Lablab purpureus)

Hyacinth bean (Lablab purpureus) is a plant species in the Fabaceae family. It is a perennial herb or shrub that grows either as a climber or in an upright habit, featuring a taproot with numerous lateral roots. The stems can reach up to 6 meters in length and may be hairy or glabrous (smooth/hairless).

The leaves are arranged alternately and consist of three leaflets. The stipules are ovate, 5 mm long, curved outward, and persistent (remaining attached). The petioles (leaf stalks) are 1–18 cm long, with a rachis up to 4.5 cm long. The stipellae (small stipules at the base of the leaflets) are lanceolate. The leaflets are triangular-ovate, measuring up to 15 cm × 14 cm, with an acuminate (tapered) apex, entire (smooth) margins, and surfaces that may be hairy or glabrous.

The inflorescence is a false raceme, emerging from the leaf axils and bearing numerous flowers. The peduncle (main flower stalk) is 2–40 cm long, with a rachis up to 25 cm long. The bracts are ovate-lanceolate, 4 mm long, and caducous (falling off easily). The flowers are bisexual and papilionaceous (pea-like) in structure. The pedicels (individual flower stalks) are short; the calyx has a 3–4 mm long tube divided into two lips—the two upper lobes are fused, while the three lower lobes are 4 mm long.

The corolla ranges in color from white to dark purple; the standard (uppermost petal) is up to 1.5 cm long, and the keel (the two fused lower petals) is beaked. There are 10 stamens, with 9 fused together and 1 remaining free. The ovary is superior, 1 cm long, and unilocular (single-chambered). The style is laterally flattened, curves sharply upward, and terminates in a knob-like stigma.

The fruit is a legume (pod) that is oblong-curved to oblong-linear in shape, measuring 4–15 cm × 1–4 cm. It is typically flattened and contains 2–6 seeds. The seeds are ovoid to oblong in shape, flattened, and range in color from white or red to black; the weight of 1,000 seeds is 250–500 g. The hilum is linear, and the aril is whitish. Germination is epigeal.

L. purpureus grows in grasslands, shrublands, and riparian forests at elevations ranging from 0 to 2,400 meters. It thrives in temperatures between 22°C and 35°C with an average annual rainfall of 750–2,500 mm. It is drought-tolerant and can grow in soil types ranging from sandy to heavy clay, with a pH of 4.4–7.8. This species does not tolerate waterlogging, particularly in brackish water.

The light-green pods and immature seeds are consumed boiled. Young leaves are used as a green vegetable, while dried seeds are consumed as pulses. The entire plant is used as livestock feed—either fresh, as dried hay, or as silage. Crushed leaves are inhaled to relieve headaches; they also serve as an emmenagogue, are used to induce labor, and help treat gastric disorders. Crushed green leaves mixed with vinegar are applied to snakebites. Leaves are boiled with other plant foliage to address heart conditions, or steeped to create a medicinal drink for tonsillitis. The seeds are used to treat gastric disorders and act as an antispasmodic; they are also employed for cholera and sunstroke. Furthermore, the plant is considered useful for managing hypertension, high cholesterol, spasms, diabetes, alcohol poisoning, ear inflammation, eczema, gonorrhea, and tumors. It is also used to treat eye ailments in sheep, as well as pulmonary disorders in cattle and sheep.

This species is cultivated for soil improvement, soil and water conservation programs, as a cover crop in coffee and coconut plantations, and as green manure. The leaves are crushed and processed into a green dye.

Young seeds (per 100 g) contain 87.9 g of water, 193 kJ (46 kcal) of energy, 2.1 g of protein, 0.2 g of fat, 9.2 g of carbohydrates, 50 mg of Ca, 40 mg of Mg, 49 mg of P, 0.7 mg of Fe, 0.4 mg of Zn, 109 IU of vitamin A, 0.08 mg of thiamin, 0.09 mg of riboflavin, 0.52 mg of niacin, 62 μg of folate, and 13 mg of ascorbic acid. Mature seeds (per 100 g) contain 9.4 g of water, 1440 kJ (344 kcal) of energy, 23.9 g of protein, 1.7 g of fat, 60.8 g of carbohydrates, 130 mg of Ca, 283 mg of Mg, 372 mg of P, 5.1 mg of Fe, 9.3 mg of Zn, 0 IU of vitamin A, 1.1 mg of thiamin, 0.15 mg of riboflavin, 1.6 mg of niacin, 23 μg of folate, and 0 mg of ascorbic acid (USDA, 2002). Fresh pods (per 100 g) contain 87 g of water, 193 kJ (46 kcal) of energy, 2.9 g of protein, 0.45 g of fat, 2.9 g of carbohydrates, 1.5 g of fiber, 0.6 mg of calcium (Ca), 37 mg of magnesium (Mg), 59 mg of phosphorus (P), 1.2 mg of iron (Fe), 210 mg of vitamin A, 0.9 mg of thiamin, 0.08 mg of riboflavin, 0.6 mg of niacin, and 11 mg of ascorbic acid.

Dried seeds contain cyanogenic glucosides and trypsin, which are toxic. These toxic compounds can be broken down through heating. The crude protein content in the dry matter of the whole plant and its leaves ranges from 10–22% and 14.5–38.5%, respectively. The seeds contain flavonoids—specifically kievitone and genistein—that play a role in the prevention and treatment of certain types of cancer. Genistein (4’,5’,7-trihydroxy-isoflavone) inhibits capillary proliferation in tumors. This compound also helps alleviate menopausal symptoms. Within the plant, the phytoalexin kievitone (2’,4’,5,7-tetrahydroxy-8-isopentenyl-isoflavanone) has been shown to provide protection against fungal attacks. The seeds also contain anti-nutritional factors such as hemagglutinins, tannins, phytates, and trypsin inhibitors. Additionally, the enzyme tyrosinase found in the seeds helps lower blood pressure.

TAXON

Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Tracheophyta
Subphylum: Angiospermae
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Subfamily: Faboideae
Tribe: Phaseoleae
Subtribe: Phaseolinae
Genus: Lablab Adans. in Fam. Pl. 2: 325 (1763)
Species: Lablab purpureus (L.) Sweet in Sweet's Hort. Brit.: 481 (1826)
Subspecies:
Lablab purpureus subsp. bengalensis (Jacq.) Verdc.
Lablab purpureus subsp. purpureus
Lablab purpureus var. rhomboideus (Schinz) Verdc.
Lablab purpureus subsp. uncinatus Verdc.

HOMOTYPIC SYNONYMS

Dolichos purpureus L. in Sp. Pl., ed. 2.: 1021 (1763)

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VERNACULAR NAME

Angami: Kecu
Arabic: لبلب أرجواني - لبلب شائع
Assamese: Urahi, Urchi, Uri
Bengali: রাজশিম্বি Rajashimbi
Bunun: Pulavazcipluh
Burmese: ပဲကြီး Pe-gyi
Chinese (simplified): 扁豆 - 白扁豆
Chinese (traditional): 扁豆 - 白扁豆 - 鵲豆
Czech: Lablab purpurový
Danish: Hjelmbønne
Dutch: Hyacintboon
English: Hyacinth bean, Lablab-bean, Bonavist bean, Dolichos bean, Seim, Lablab bean, Egyptian kidney bean, Indian bean, Bataw, Australian pea, Lablab
Filipino: Bàtau, Itab, Pardá
Finnish: Hyasinttipapu
French: Pois de Senteur
Hebrew: לבלב ארגמני
Hindi: भटवास - शिमि - सेम Bhatvas, Shimi, Sem
Hong Kong: 扁豆
Indonesian: Kara, Kacang kara, Kacang komak, Biduk, Bado, Kacang koro
Japanese: フジマメ - 千石豆 - 藤豆
Java: Kara, Kekara, Kara andhong, Kara useng, Kara wedhus
Kannada: Capparada-avare, Avare, Avare baele
Korean: 편두
Lithuanian: Egiptinė lobija
Madura: Komak
Malayalam: Amara, Avara
Malaysia: Kara-kara, Kekara
Manipuri: Hawai uri
Marathi: Anvare, Kadavebaala, Pandhre pavate
Melayu: Kekara, Kara-kara
Mizo: Be-pui
Nepali: राज सिमी - ताते सिमी - सिमी Raaj Simee, Taate Simee, Simee
Polish: Chropawiec pospolity, Fasolnik egipski, Wspięga pospolita
Rote: Ndoto, Loto, Roto
Russian: Лобия
Sanskrit: Nispavah
Slovak: Lablab obyčajný
Spanish: Frijol jacinto
Sunda: Kacang jeriji, Kacang peda, Roay katopes
Tamil: அவரை - மோட்சாய் Avarai, Motchai
Telugu: Chikkudu, Adavichikkudu, Alsanda
Thai: ถั่วแปบ
Vietnam: Dâu van

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