Canavalia
Canavalia is a genus of plants in the legume family that comprises approximately 73 species of tropical vines. Members of the genus are commonly known as jack-beans. It has a pantropical distribution.
The species of Canavalia endemic to the Hawaiian Islands were named ʻāwikiwiki by the Native Hawaiians. The name translates to "the very quick one" and comes from the Hawaiian word for "fast". The genus name is derived from the Malabar word for the species, kavavali, which means "forest climber".
Uses
Several species are valued legume crops, including common jack-bean, sword bean 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 concanavalin A, which is used as a reagent in glycoprotein biochemistry and immunology. The jack-bean is also a common source of purified urease enzyme used in scientific research.The bay bean is supposedly mildly psychoactive when smoked, and is used in tobacco substitutes.
Ecology
Some animals have adaptations to the defensive chemicals of jack-beans. Caterpillars such as that of the two-barred flasher are sometimes found on Canavalia. The plant pathogenic ascomycete fungus Mycosphaerella canavaliae was described from a jack-bean. Introduced herbivores have wreaked havoc on Canavalia on the Hawaiian Islands and made some nearly extinct; it may be that these lost their chemical defenses because no herbivorous mammals existed in their range until introduced by humans. The usually bright pea-flowers are pollinated by insects such as solitary bees and carpenter bees such as Xylocopa confusa.History
The genus name Canavalia was, as recently as 1913, known as Canavali. The name of the genus comes from a common name for Canavalia rosea used in India and adapted by Augustin Pyramus de Candolle.Diversity
Species include:- Canavalia acuminata
- Canavalia africana
- Canavalia altipendula
- Canavalia atroferruginea
- Canavalia aurita
- Canavalia beniensis
- Canavalia bicarinata
- Canavalia boliviana
- Canavalia bonariensis
- Canavalia brasiliensis
- Canavalia campylodonta
- Canavalia cassidea
- Canavalia cathartica
- Canavalia concinna
- Canavalia cuchillae
- Canavalia dolichothyrsa
- Canavalia dura
- Canavalia ensiformis – common jack-bean, giant stock-bean, gotani-bean, horse-bean, seaside-bean, wonder-bean, feijão-de-porco
- Canavalia eurycarpa
- Canavalia favieri
- Canavalia galeata
- Canavalia gibbosa
- Canavalia glabra
- Canavalia gladiata – sword bean, scimitar-bean
- Canavalia gladiolata
- Canavalia grandiflora
- Canavalia hawaiiensis
- Canavalia hirsutissima
- Canavalia kauaiensis
- Canavalia lineata
- Canavalia llanorum
- Canavalia macrantha
- Canavalia macrobotrys
- Canavalia macropleura
- Canavalia madagascariensis
- Canavalia mandibulata
- Canavalia mattogrossensis
- Canavalia matudae
- Canavalia mauiensis
- Canavalia megalantha
- Canavalia microsperma
- Canavalia mireyae
- Canavalia mollis
- Canavalia molokaiensis – Molokaʻi jack-bean
- Canavalia napaliensis – Mākaha Valley jack-bean
- Canavalia nitida
- Canavalia obidensis
- Canavalia oxyphylla
- Canavalia palmeri
- Canavalia papuana
- Canavalia parviflora
- Canavalia picta
- Canavalia piperi
- Canavalia plagiosperma – giant bean, oblique-seed jack-bean
- Canavalia pubescens – lavafield jack-bean
- Canavalia raiateensis
- Canavalia ramosii
- Canavalia reflexiflora
- Canavalia regalis
- Canavalia rosea – bay bean, beach-bean, coastal jack-bean, fire-bean, Mackenzie-bean
- Canavalia rotundata
- Canavalia rugosa
- Canavalia saueri
- Canavalia septentrionalis
- Canavalia sericea
- Canavalia sericophylla
- Canavalia sousae
- Canavalia straminea
- Canavalia variegata
- Canavalia veillonii
- Canavalia villosa
- Canavalia vitiensis
- ''Canavalia wurdackii''
Formerly placed here
- Dysolobium grande Prain