Winged bean (Psophocarpus tetragonolobus) is a perennial plant species in the Fabaceae family, growing as a climber, twiner, or vine, forming dense thickets or covering the ground if unsupported. The young shoots and pods are used as vegetables.
P. tetragonolobus has cylindrical stems, up to 4 meters long, and is green or brown in color. It has numerous lateral roots and spreads flat near the soil surface, some of which thicken and form tubers.
The leaves are compound with three alternate blades, with petioles 3-12 cm long and 1.5-5.5 cm long. The leaves are ovate to triangular, 4-15 cm long, 3.5-14 cm wide, with pointed tips, green, with a central main vein and pinnate minor veins.
Butterfly-shaped flowers in clusters with 2-10 flowers growing from leaf axils. The peduncle is 5-15 cm long, the rachis 1-10 cm long, and somewhat hairy. Bisexual, with stalks up to 5 mm long, and tubular petals 4-6 mm long. The stamens are irregular, up to 2 mm long, green to dark red-purple.
The corolla is blue or pale blue, cream, or reddish, with a nearly circular or broadly oval flag, 4x3.5 cm in size, with slightly shorter wings and keel. There are about 10 stamens in two spikelets, and the ovary is overlapping.
The pods are long, rectangular, with uneven winged corners, 6-40 cm long, 2-3.5 cm wide, green when young, black and dry when mature. The pods contain 5-21 round, 5-10 mm in diameter, yellow, brown, or black, sometimes white and spotted.
This species grows in ample sunlight at elevations of 0-1000 meters. The pods and young leaves are usually boiled as a vegetable. The root tubers are eaten boiled, but must be harvested before the pods ripen. The mature seeds are eaten as nuts after being roasted.
The seeds and leaves contain flavonoids, saponins, and tannins. Leaf extract is used to treat swollen eyes and earaches. The leaves are crushed to treat boils. Winged bean contains up to 36.6% protein, 17.9% fat, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, carbohydrates, vitamin C, and tocopherol.
TAXON
Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Tracheophyta
Subphylum: Angiospermae
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Subfamily: Faboideae
Tribe: Phaseoleae
Subtribe: Phaseolinae
Genus: Psophocarpus Neck. ex DC. in Prodr. 2: 403 (1825)
Species: Psophocarpus tetragonolobus (L.) DC. in Prodr. 2: 403 (1825)
HOMOTYPIC SYNONYMS Botor tetragonoloba (L.) Kuntze in Revis. Gen. Pl. 1: 162 (1891) Dolichos tetragonolobus L. in Herb. Amb.: 23 (1754)
HETEROTYPIC SYNONYMS
Dolichos ovatus Graham in N.Wallich, Numer. List: n.° 5540 (1831)
Psophocarpus tetragonolobus var. aequalis Hassk. in Flora 25(2, Beibl. 1): 52 (1842)
Psophocarpus tetragonolobus var. macrocarpus Hassk. (1842)
Psophocarpus tetragonolobus var. micropterus Hassk. (1842)
PUBLICATIONS
Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & Strong, M.T. (2012). Catalogue of seed plants of the West Indies. Smithsonian Contributions to Botany 98: 1-1192.
Baksh-Comeau, Y., Maharaj, S.S., Adams, C.D., Harris, S.A., Filer, D.L. & Hawthorne, W.D. (2016). An annotated checklist of the vascular plants of Trinidad and Tobago with analysis of vegetation types and botanical 'hotspots'. Phytotaxa 250: 1-431.
Balslev, H. & Chantaranothai, P. (2023). Flora of Thailand 4(3.3.): 489-715. The Forest Herbarium, Royal Forest Department.
Dy Phon, P. (2000). Dictionnaire des plantes utilisées au Cambodge: 1-915. Chez l'auteur, Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
Fosberg, F.R., Sachet, M.-H., Oliver, R. (1979). A geographical checklist of the Micronesian Dicotyledonae. Micronesica; Journal of the College of Guam 15: 41-295.
Franck, A.R., Anderson, L.C., Burkhalter, J.R. & Dickman, S. (2016). Additions to the flora of Florida, U.S.A. (2010-2015). Journal of the Botanical Research Institute of Texas 10: 175-190.
George, A.S., Orchard, A.E. & Hewson, H.J. (eds.) (1993). Oceanic islands 2. Flora of Australia 50: 1-606. Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra.
Kumar, S. & Sane, P.V. (2003). Legumes of South Asia. A Checklist: 1-536. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Lock, J.M. & Ford, C.S. (2004). Legumes of Malesia a Check-List: 1-295. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Lock, J.M. & Heald, J. (1994). Legumes of Indo-China a check-list: 1-164. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Lock, J.M. (1989). Legumes of Africa a check-List: 1-619. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Nelson-Sutherland, C. (2010). Adiciones y Comentarios a la Flora de Honduras. Ceiba; a Scientific and Technical Journal Published by Zamorano 51: 70-88.
Wu, Z. & Raven, P.H. (eds.) (2010). Flora of China 10: 1-642. Science Press (Beijing) & Missouri Botanical Garden Press (St. Louis).
Zhu, X.Y., Zhang, R.P. & He, Y.L. (eds.) (2021). An inventory of legume species diversity of Myanmar: 1-297. China Minzu university press.
VERNACULAR NAME
Assamese: Kordoi urohi
Bali: Kēlongkang
Bengali: চারকোনি-সেম Charkoni-sem
Chinese (simplified): 四棱豆
Chinese (traditional): 翼豆 - 四稜豆 - 楊桃豆 - 四角豆
Czech: Praskavec ledencový
Danish: Goabønne
Dutch: Ketjipir
English: Winged Bean, Goa Bean, Four-angled Bean, Cigarillas, Four-cornered Bean, Nanila Bean, Princess Bean, Star Bean, Dragon Bean
Filipino: Kabey, Sigarilya
Finnish: Goanpapu
French: Haricot ailé. Pois carré, Haricot 4 coins
German: Flügelbohne
Hindi: Chaukoni sem, Charkoni sem
Indonesian: Kecipir
Japanese: シカクマメ
Java: Cipir, Cicipir, Kēcipir
Kannada: Shembe kaayi
Malayalam: Chathurappayar, Irachippayar
Malaysia: Kacang belimbing
Manado: Biraro
Manipuri: Tengnoumanbi
Marathi: Chaudhari,Chaudhari ghevda
Minang: Kacang botol, Kacang belingbing
Mizo: Chawngbepui, Bepui-thla-nei
Oria: Asana simba
Palembang: Kacang embing
Polish: Łust głąbigroszek
Pontianak: Kacang botor, Kacang botol, Kacang kumbotor
Slovak: Psofokarp paľadencový
Sunda: Jaat
Tagalog: Sigarilyas, Kabey
Tangkhul: Tengnoumanbi
Ternate: Biraro
Aryo Bandoro
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