Lablab
Monotypic genus of a versatile tropical bean species.
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Lablab is a monotypic genus of bean in the family Fabaceae, native to sub-Saharan Africa and cultivated throughout the tropics for food. Its sole species, Lablab purpureus, is known by many common names including hyacinth bean, lablab-bean, bonavist bean, Egyptian kidney bean, and Indian bean. The genus name was given by Robert Sweet from the earlier name Dolichos lablab by Carl Linnaeus, with the epithet derived from Arabic lablāb.
Scientific classification
- CladeTracheophytes
- CladeAngiosperms
- CladeEudicots
- CladeRosids
- OrderFabales
- FamilyFabaceae
- SubfamilyFaboideae
- GenusLablab
- SpeciesLablab purpureus
Named by (L.) Sweet (1826)
Sources: Wikipedia taxobox: Lablab (CC BY-SA 4.0) · order, family and genus agree with WoRMS AphiaID 1491990 (CC BY 4.0)
Where the lablab has been recorded
Each dot is a place where the species has been observed and reported (4,405 records, half-degree grid) — not a modelled range. 563 inland records left out (institution coordinates).
Map: drawn by Codexery. Data: GBIF occurrence search (records CC0 / CC BY) · Natural Earth basemap (public domain)
Quick Facts
- Species
- purpureus
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The genus Lablab was established by Robert Sweet, taking its name from the earlier Dolichos lablab named by Carl Linnaeus. The specific epithet comes from the Arabic word lablāb. According to biologist Bernard Verdcourt, the species Lablab purpureus includes two cultivated subspecies—Lablab purpureus subsp. bengalensis and Lablab purpureus subsp. purpureus—and one wild subspecies, Lablab purpureus subsp. uncinatus, with a variant having lobed leaflets found only in Namibia: Lablab purpureus var. rhomboïdeus.
The plant is a variable annual or short-lived perennial vine, with thick stems reaching up to 6 meters. Leaves consist of three pointed leaflets, and flowers appear in racemes, colored white, purplish, or blue. The fruit is a legume pod, usually several centimeters long, ranging from bright purple to pale green, containing up to four seeds that vary in color—white, brown, red, or black—with wild plants having mottled seeds.
The exact origin of the lablab bean remains uncertain, with evidence of wild varieties in eastern and southern Africa suggesting those regions as the likely source, though some theories propose India. It has been distributed worldwide and can grow in temperate climates such as Central and South America or Italy.
Reader's Guide
Lablab is significant as an old domesticated pulse and multi-purpose crop, cultivated in India as early as 2500 BC. It is grown primarily for food and fodder, especially in tropical and subtropical areas of eastern and southern Africa and India, though its cultivation has declined in many African regions due to replacement by common bean and factors like processing steps and antinutritional elements. The plant's adaptability to a wide range of soils and climates, including tolerance of drought and shade, increases its agricultural value.
Its symbiosis with nitrogen-fixing rhizobium bacteria improves soil nitrogen availability, making it attractive for intercropping and green manure. Researchers note the wide diversity of lablab germplasm holds potential for developing it as an alternative crop through selection and breeding. Breeding efforts aim to create varieties with simultaneous seed development for industrial farming, though this can shorten the vegetative phase and reduce yield.
The fruit and beans are edible only after thorough boiling with several water changes, as they contain cyanogenic glycosides that can cause poisoning. Leaves, flowers, and roots are also used as food, and seeds are made into tofu and tempeh. In South Asia, the green pods and beans are cooked in various dishes, such as curries, stir-fries, and sambar.
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Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Lablab (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Classification: the source article's taxobox; order, family and genus checked against WoRMS, the World Register of Marine Species (CC BY 4.0).
- Occurrence records: GBIF (CC0 / CC BY). Basemap: Natural Earth (public domain).
- Word definitions: the Codexery glossary, each quoted from its Wikipedia article.
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