Is this plant, observed near Orodara in Burkina Faso, an exotic species used in agronomy. Some elders locally use it for ritual purposes. They claim that this plant is wild, that it has become rare but formerly grew on the hills.
Do you know a wild species that resembles it (which has white seeds and similar leaves) and that grows in this region?
Thank you !
Bonsoir Dr Fournier,
La Fabaceae à graines blanches qu'on rencontre à Orodara appartienne à une autre genre et espèce. Il s'agit de : Phaseolus Lunatus L. (Fabaceae-Faboideae)
N° échantillon herbier : MSLS 1213
Date collection : 29 Novembre 2001
Pays collection : Burkina Faso
Localité collection : Ville de Orodara/Kénédougou
Cordialement
Lassina
Dear Anne
Surely it is not Mucuna pruriens var. utilis of fabaceae, because that species never with a fruit with such glabrous fruit wall.
Sunit mItra
Yes its not seems to be Mucuna pruriens as Mucuna seeds are round elliptical and they are not so. I think as mention a pulse crop Phaseolus lunatus also have such flat white seed. please check.
Thank you to all of you ! So, I exclude definitely Mucuna and I'll check for Phaesolus lunatus (merci Lassina!).
But Phaseolus is still an exotic plant, it probably replaces a local species that has become rare. It remains to guess which.
The white color seems crucial in the eyes of the local soothsayers. So, does anyone know a local species which resembles Phaseolus lunatus and whose seeds resemble somewhat those presented in my pictures?
Anne
Will send to a colleague of mine, John Burrows, and see if he can help.
Ernst
http://plants.jstor.org/stable/10.5555/al.ap.visual.kebc00000178
It appears to be a species of Canavalia. Refer to its taxonomic revision for currect identification. You should give country of its origin. My advise to all who post images for identification to gives details of collection localities, habitat and at least description. I suggest noon taxonomists to consult a taxonomist to help in writing the description and post it along with images. These are essential.
I agree it is a Canavalia species. Maybe C. ensiformis, often cultivated fin the tropics or forage.
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