giant stock-bean

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• giant stock-bean
• gotani-bean
• horse-bean
• jack-bean
• seaside-bean
• sword-bean
• wonder-bean
• Ash Bean
• Jack Bean
• wonderbean

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Dolichos mutabilis
• Dolichos pugioniformis
• Dolichos acinaciformis
• Dolichos cienskowskii
• Malocchia ensiformis
• Canavalia ensiformis var. albida
• Canavalia ensiformis var. coriacea
• Canavalia ensiformis var. truncata
• Canavalia gladiata var. leucosperma
• Canavalia stocksii

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. Within the subclass Magnoliidae, it falls under the order Fabales and the family Fabaceae. Finally, it is identified by its specific genus, Cana Valiia ensiformis.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant, Canavalia ensiformis, exhibits a specific geographical distribution concentrated within the West Tropical Africa region. Its presence is documented across several distinct nations, including Benin and Ghana. Additionally, it can be found growing within the territories of Guinea-Bissau and Guinea. The range further extends southward to include the coastal areas of the Ivory Coast. Together, these locations define the primary natural habitat for this medicinal species.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Canavalia ensiformis is characterized by its adaptability to diverse environmental settings, ranging from undisturbed natural environments to human-altered landscapes. It is commonly found inhabiting both Floresta de Terra Firme (terra firme forests) and Área Antrópica (anthropic areas), indicating a capacity to thrive in both stable forest ecosystems and disturbed habitats shaped by human activity. The species exhibits a broad altitudinal distribution, spanning from sea level up to a maximum elevation of 1400 m AMSL.

Elevational range max:

1400 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

Área Antrópica, Floresta de Terra Firme

Life history

The life history of Canavalia ensiformis is characterized by its classification as an annual plant, meaning it completes its entire biological cycle—from germination and vegetative growth to flowering and seed production—within a single growing season. As a therophyte, the species survives unfavorable environmental conditions by producing hardy seeds that remain dormant in the soil, allowing the plant to re-emerge when conditions become favorable. This life strategy focuses on rapid development and high reproductive output, ensuring that the next generation is established through seed dispersal before the onset of seasonal changes that would otherwise terminate the individual's life cycle.

Life form :

therophyte

Lifecycle :

annual

Morphology

The morphology of Canavalia ensiformis is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb and forb. This plant typically functions as an independent organism, lacking any parasitic tendencies, and is strictly terrestrial in its habitat, neither being aquatic nor an epiphyte. In terms of stature, it is a relatively low-growing species, with a plant height ranging from a minimum of 0.6 m to a maximum of 1 m, maintaining an average height of approximately 1 m. While it possesses certain climbing characteristics, it is classified as an obligatory climber that is nonetheless capable of being self-supporting.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Climber :

obligatory

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height mean:

1 m

Plant height min:

0.6 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Canavalia ensiformis is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which dictates its carbon fixation process and metabolic efficiency within its ecological niche. It does not exhibit succulence, maintaining standard leaf and stem water storage capacities rather than specialized water-storing tissues. Furthermore, the plant functions as a nitrogen fixer, possessing a symbiotic relationship with rhizobia bacteria that allows it to convert atmospheric nitrogen into a usable form, thereby enhancing soil fertility and supporting its own nutritional requirements.

Nitrogen fixer :

yes

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Succulence :

no

Reproduction

The reproduction of Canavalia ensiformis is characterized by biotic pollination mechanisms, specifically utilizing an insect-based pollination syndrome to facilitate the transfer of pollen. The plant is capable of self-fertilization, which ensures reproductive success through the presence of self-pollination traits. The resulting seeds are relatively uniform in size, with a documented seed mass that remains consistent at a mean, minimum, and maximum value of 0.996 g. Regarding the movement of offspring, the species exhibits an anthropochorous dispersal syndrome, indicating that its seeds are primarily distributed through human activity.

Dispersal syndrome :

anthropochorous

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Seed mass mean:

0.996 g

Self fertilization :

present

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Canavalia ensiformis has 1 reported plant parts identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include seed.

Seed

1. Bioscience, biotechnology, and biochemistry
2. Journal of biochemical and biophysical methods
3. Toxicon : official journal of the International Society on Toxinology
4. Phytochemistry

Chemicals

Canavalia ensiformis has 70 reported phytochemicals identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include CONCANAVALIN A, canavanine, Canavalin, Con-A, lysine.

CONCANAVALIN A

1. Dr. Duke
2. Biological chemistry Hoppe-Seyler
3. The Journal of cell biology
4. Journal of experimental botany
5. The Journal of biological chemistry

canavanine

1. Dr. Duke
2. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
3. Archivos latinoamericanos de nutricion
4. Acta cientifica venezolana
5. The Journal of nutrition

Canavalin

1. Acta crystallographica. Section D, Biological crystallography
2. Molecular biology and evolution
3. Plant physiology

Con-A

1. Biotechnology and applied biochemistry
2. Immunological investigations
3. Poultry science

lysine

1. Acta cientifica venezolana
2. Plant foods for human nutrition (Dordrecht, Netherlands)
3. Archivos latinoamericanos de nutricion

CALCIUM

1. Dr. Duke
2. Canadian journal of biochemistry

FAT

1. Dr. Duke
2. Archivos latinoamericanos de nutricion

IRON

1. Dr. Duke
2. Canadian journal of biochemistry

L-canavanine

1. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
2. The Journal of nutrition

MANGANESE

1. Dr. Duke
2. Canadian journal of biochemistry

Activities

Canavalia ensiformis has 367 reported activities identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Cytotoxic, ACE-Inhibitor, Abortifacient, Acidulant, Aldose-Reductase-Inhibitor.

Cytotoxic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Anti-cancer drugs

ACE-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Abortifacient

1. Dr. Duke

Acidulant

1. Dr. Duke

Aldose-Reductase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Allelochemic

1. Dr. Duke

Allergenic

1. Dr. Duke

Alpha-Reductase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Analgesic

1. Dr. Duke

Androgenic?

1. Dr. Duke

Conditions

Canavalia ensiformis has 1 reported investigations on conditions identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include flatulence.

Flatulence

1. Plant foods for human nutrition (Dordrecht, Netherlands)

Preparations

Canavalia ensiformis has 4 reported preparations identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include precooked flours, raw meals, seed extracts, seeds.

Precooked flours

1. Acta cientifica venezolana

Raw meals

1. Archivos latinoamericanos de nutricion

Seed extracts

1. Biological chemistry Hoppe-Seyler

Seeds

1. European journal of biochemistry