Vigna umbellata
Ricebean
Vigna umbellata, commonly known as the rice bean, is a versatile legume prized for its nutritional and medicinal properties. Rich in proteins, vitamins, and minerals, it serves as a vital food source. Traditionally, various parts of the plant are utilized in folk medicine to treat diverse ailments and promote wellness.
- Scientific name: Vigna umbellata
- Family: Fabaceae
- Native range: Africa
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Fabales, it is classified under the family Fabaceae and is specifically identified by the genus Vigna.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Fabales | WCVP |
| Family | Fabaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Vigna | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, Vigna umbellata, is known by various names across different languages and regions. In Chinese, it is referred to as 赤小豆 in Simplified Chinese (zh-hans), Traditional Chinese (zh-hant), and the Cantonese variant used in Hong Kong (zh-hk). In German, it is commonly called Reisbohne, while in Nepali, it is known as मस्याङ.| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| zh-hans | 赤小豆 | Wikidata |
| zh-hant | 赤小豆 | Wikidata |
| zh-hk | 赤小豆 | Wikidata |
| de | Reisbohne | Wikidata |
| ne | मस्याङ | Wikidata |
| fr | Haricot riz | Wikidata |
| zh | 赤小豆 | Wikidata |
| vi | Đậu nho nhe | Wikidata |
| yue | 赤小豆 | Wikidata |
| id | Kacang uci | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a wide geographical distribution across several distinct regions of the African continent. In West Tropical Africa, its presence is documented in both Ghana and Sierra Leone. Moving into West-Central Tropical Africa, the species can be found in Cameroon and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Additionally, the plant extends its reach into East Tropical Africa, specifically within Kenya. Collectively, these locations highlight the diverse ecological range inhabited by Vigna umbellata.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| West Tropical Africa | Ghana | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Sierra Leone | WCVP |
| West-Central Tropical Africa | Cameroon | WCVP |
| West-Central Tropical Africa | DR Congo | WCVP |
| East Tropical Africa | Kenya | WCVP |
| East Tropical Africa | Tanzania | WCVP |
| South Tropical Africa | Zambia | WCVP |
| Western Indian Ocean | Comoros | WCVP |
| Western Indian Ocean | Madagascar | WCVP |
| China | China South-Central | WCVP |
Chemicals
Vigna umbellata has 16 reported phytochemicals identified across 18 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include raffinose, stachyose, 1-deoxymannojirimycin, Trypsin inhibitor, ash.
- Total chemicals
- 16
- Scientific sources
- 18
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| raffinose | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| stachyose | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 1-deoxymannojirimycin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Trypsin inhibitor | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| ash | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| catechin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| cysteine | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| fat | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| gallic acid | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| genistein | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Vigna umbellata has 1 reported activities identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Hepatoprotective.
- Total activities
- 1
- Scientific sources
- 1
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Hepatoprotective | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Vigna umbellata has 2 reported medicinal uses identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include diuresis, flatulence.
- Total uses
- 2
- Scientific sources
- 2
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| diuresis | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| flatulence | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |