Bengal gram

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• chickpea
• garbanzo bean
• Bengal gram
• garbanzo
• gram

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Vicia arietina

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 class Equisetopsida. Within the subclass Magnoliidae, it is further organized under the order Fabales and the family Fabaceae. Finally, its specific taxonomic placement is within the genus Cicer.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a specific distribution pattern across several regions of Europe. In Northern Europe, it can be found growing in Great Britain and Ireland. Moving into Middle Europe, the species is also present in Austria. Its range further extends through the Czech-Slovakia region. Finally, the plant is documented to inhabit parts of Germany.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Cicer arietinum is characterized by its specific niche within chick-pea habitats, where it thrives across a defined altitudinal gradient. This species is typically found within an elevational range spanning from a minimum of 1900 m AMSL to a maximum of 2700 m AMSL. This distribution indicates a preference for mid-to-high altitude environments, where specific climatic and topographic conditions support its growth patterns within its characteristic habitat.

Elevational range max:

2700 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

1900 m AMSL

Habitat :

chick-pea

Life history

The life history of Cicer arietinum is characterized by an annual lifecycle, meaning the plant completes its entire developmental process—from germination to seed production—within a single growing season. Morphologically, it is classified as a therophyte, a life form defined by plants that survive the unfavorable season as ephemeral seeds, allowing them to emerge and flourish rapidly when environmental conditions become favorable. This therophytic nature ensures that the species can effectively navigate seasonal changes by avoiding dormancy in vegetative structures and instead relying on a robust seed bank for long-term survival.

Life form :

therophyte

Lifecycle :

annual

Morphology

The morphology of Cicer arietinum is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb and forb. It is a terrestrial plant that functions as an independent organism, rather than a parasite or epiphyte. The plant exhibits an erect shoot orientation and is classified as self-supporting, lacking the characteristics of a liana or vine. In terms of stature, it typically reaches a plant height ranging from a minimum of 0.12 m to a maximum of 0.8 m, with an average plant height of approximately 0.6 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

0.8 m

Plant height mean:

0.6 m

Plant height min:

0.12 m

Shoot orientation :

erect

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Cicer arietinum is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which dictates its carbon fixation processes and environmental adaptations. As a non-carnivorous species, it relies entirely on soil-based nutrient uptake rather than insectivory. A key physiological advantage of this plant is its ability to function as a nitrogen fixer, utilizing symbiotic relationships to convert atmospheric nitrogen into a usable form. Morphologically, its foliage consists of elliptic-shaped leaves that exhibit significant dimensional variability; the leaf length typically ranges from a minimum of 0.7 cm to a maximum of 1.9 cm, while the leaf width varies between 0.3 cm and 1 cm.

Carnivory :

non-carnivorous

Leaf form :

elliptic

Leaf length max:

1.9 cm

Leaf length min:

0.7 cm

Leaf width max:

1 cm

Leaf width min:

0.3 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

yes

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Cicer arietinum is primarily a sexual process, as asexual reproduction is absent in this species. The flowering phase typically begins in June and concludes in July, characterized by the production of violet-colored flowers. These flowers utilize a biotic pollination syndrome, specifically relying on insects to facilitate the transfer of pollen. While the plant is capable of self-fertilization, the reproductive cycle relies on these biological interactions to ensure seed development. Following successful pollination, the plant develops a capsule-type fruit that is dehiscence-oriented, meaning it opens at maturity to release its contents. The resulting fruits vary in size, with a length ranging from a minimum of 2 cm to a maximum of 3 cm, and a width reaching up to 1.5 cm. The seeds produced within these capsules exhibit a mean mass of 0.3772 g, with individual seed weights ranging from a minimum of 0.3044 g to a maximum of 0.5 g.

Dehiscence :

dehiscent

Flower colour :

violet

Flowering time :

Jun

Flowering time :

Jul

Fruit length max:

3 cm

Fruit length min:

2 cm

Fruit type :

capsule

Fruit width max:

1.5 cm

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Reproduction asexual :

absent

Seed mass max:

0.5 g

Seed mass mean:

0.3772 g

Seed mass min:

0.3044 g

Self fertilization :

present

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Cicer arietinum has 2 reported plant parts identified across 6 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include seed, leaf.

Seed

1. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences
2. Phytochemistry
3. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
4. Hoppe-Seyler's Zeitschrift fur physiologische Chemie
5. Environmental research

Leaf

1. Journal of tropical medicine

Chemicals

Cicer arietinum has 170 reported phytochemicals identified across 6 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include biochanin A, methionine, Isoflavones, STARCH, arginine.

biochanin A

1. Dr. Duke
2. Toxicology in vitro : an international journal published in association with BIBRA
3. Lipids
4. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
5. Indian heart journal

methionine

1. Dr. Duke
2. Archivos latinoamericanos de nutricion
3. Reproduction, nutrition, development
4. Plant foods for human nutrition (Dordrecht, Netherlands)
5. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry

Isoflavones

1. Lipids
2. Phytotherapy research : PTR
3. Annals of translational medicine
4. Voprosy meditsinskoi khimii

STARCH

1. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry
2. The Journal of nutrition
3. Indian journal of experimental biology
4. Die Nahrung

arginine

1. Dr. Duke
2. Reproduction, nutrition, development
3. Plant foods for human nutrition (Dordrecht, Netherlands)
4. The Journal of nutrition

lysine

1. Dr. Duke
2. Archivos latinoamericanos de nutricion
3. Reproduction, nutrition, development
4. The Journal of nutrition

Ash

1. Dr. Duke
2. Archivos latinoamericanos de nutricion
3. Plant foods for human nutrition (Dordrecht, Netherlands)

FAT

1. Dr. Duke
2. Plant foods for human nutrition (Dordrecht, Netherlands)
3. Archivos latinoamericanos de nutricion

Flavonoids

1. Journal of tropical medicine
2. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Voprosy meditsinskoi khimii

IRON

1. Dr. Duke
2. Plant foods for human nutrition (Dordrecht, Netherlands)
3. Annals of nutrition & metabolism

Activities

Cicer arietinum has 435 reported activities identified across 6 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Abortifacient, Allergenic, Analgesic, Antimicrobial.

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Scientific reports
3. Frontiers in plant science

Abortifacient

1. Dr. Duke
2. Phytotherapy research : PTR

Allergenic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry

Analgesic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences

Antimicrobial

1. Dr. Duke
2. BioMed research international

Antiproliferative

1. Dr. Duke
2. BioMed research international

Diuretic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences

17-beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

5-Alpha-Reductase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

ACE-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Conditions

Cicer arietinum has 28 reported investigations on conditions identified across 6 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include Alzheimer's disease, anaphylaxis, breast cancer, hypercholesterolemia, Bronchial asthma.

Alzheimer's disease

1. Scientific reports
2. Proteins

Anaphylaxis

1. Annals of allergy, asthma & immunology : official publication of the American College of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology
2. International archives of allergy and immunology

Breast cancer

1. Phytotherapy research : PTR
2. Annals of translational medicine

Hypercholesterolemia

1. Lipids
2. Indian heart journal

Bronchial asthma

1. Allergy

Candida parapsilosis

1. BioMed research international

Candida tropicalis

1. BioMed research international

Lung cancer

1. The protein journal

Abiotic stress

1. Environmental pollution (Barking, Essex : 1987)

Allergic reactions

1. International archives of allergy and immunology

Preparations

Cicer arietinum has 14 reported preparations identified across 6 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include Dried and sprouted seeds of C. arietinum, TSCA, TSCA I, TSCA II, boiled extracts.

Dried and sprouted seeds of c. arietinum

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

Tsca

1. Yao xue xue bao = Acta pharmaceutica Sinica

Tsca i

1. Yao xue xue bao = Acta pharmaceutica Sinica

Tsca ii

1. Yao xue xue bao = Acta pharmaceutica Sinica

Boiled extracts

1. International archives of allergy and immunology

Cooked whole food grain legumes

1. Archivos latinoamericanos de nutricion

Different solvent fractions

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Hydro-alcoholic extracts

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Leaf extracts

1. Journal of tropical medicine

Methanol extract

1. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences