Description
| Botanical Name | Common Name | Tamil | Hindi | Malayalam |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MucunaPruriens | Velvet Bean | जंगली / jangali | നായ്ക്കരണ / Naikkuran | Velvet bean is an annual, climbing shrub with long vines that can reach over 15 m. Leaves are trifoliate, gray-silky beneath; petioles are long and silky, 6-11 cm. Leaflets are membranous, terminal leaflets are smaller, lateral very unequal sided. Dark purple flowers (6 to 30) occur in drooping racemes. Fruits are curved, 4-6 seeded. The longitudinally ribbed pod, is densely covered with loose orange hairs which cause a severe itch if they come in contact with skin. The beans are shiny black or brown. It is found in tropical Africa, India and the Caribbean. In India, it is found in the Himalayas, at altitudes of 150-1200 m, and Western Ghats. |
