Saving the Sword or Scimitar Bean (Canavalia gladiata)

Saving the Endangered Sword Bean

(Canavalia gladiata)

Dr Abe V Rotor

Living with Nature - School on Blog

Lesson: Let's help preserve threatened and endangered species, such as the Sword Bean. The backyard is a good place to multiply these species that have been neglected for their lack of economic value. 

 

Author in earlier years shows a cluster of green pods of sword bean he planted in his garden.  Lower photo, dehiscent characteristic typical of many legumes. The pod disperses and disseminates the seeds automatically when fully mature.

Sword Bean has long disappeared from the backyard. It used to be a popular succulent vegetable with the young pod sliced thinly, cooked as salad, with meat or fish, or in bulanglang, and other recipes. These seeds shown in the photo have been germinated with the hope of saving this endangered plant.

Canavalia gladiata, the sword bean or scimitar bean, is a domesticated plant species in the legume family Fabaceae. It is used as a vegetable in interior central and south central India, though not commercially farmed. The unripe pods are also eaten as a vegetable in Africa and Asia. Wikipedia

TRIVIA: Is Jack Bean and sword bean the same?

These two beans are related but are different species. Sword bean is Canavalia gladiata and Jack bean is Canavalia ensiformis. Sword bean seeds tend to be red-pink to light brown, while Jack bean seeds are white or light tan.