Phaseolus adenanthus G.Mey.

• Authority

  Britton, Nathaniel L. Flora Borinqueña.

• Family

  Fabaceae

• Scientific Name

  Phaseolus adenanthus G.Mey.

• Description

  Species Description - A long, twining, perennial vine, with large leaflets, and showy, attractive, variegated, fragrant flowers, white, yellow and purple, inhabiting moist thickets, and banks at lower altitudes in Porto Rico, not observed by us above about 250 meters elevation; it is distributed through the Greater Antilles, in the Lesser Antilles from Guadeloupe to Trinidad, widely in tropical continental America, and grows also in tropical parts of the Old World. For an account of the genus Phaseolus we refer to our description of Phaseolus lunatus. Phaseolus adenanthus (gland-flower) is a sparingly hairy vine, which may become 6 meters long, or longer. The pointed leaflets vary from ovate to lanceolate and from 5 to 10 centimeters long. The flowers are few, or several together, in clusters about as long as the leaves, or shorter; the 4-toothed calyx is about 4 millimeters long, its upper tooth broad, the others lance-shaped; the standard petal is from 2 to 2.5 centimeters long. The flat, usually slightly curved pod is from 6 to 10 centimeters long, from 8 to 12 millimeters wide.

• Discussion

  Habicuela cimarrona Wild Bean Pea Family Phaseolus adenanthus G. F. W. Meyer, Primitiae Florae Essequiboensis 239. 1818 Phaseolus truxillensis Humboldt, Bonpland and Kunth, Nova Genera et Species Plantarum 6: 451. 1823.