The young pods are cooked and eaten as a vegetable, but when ripe they are covered with hairs which are exceedingly irritating. Various medicinal properties are attributed to the roots and seeds. 331 =Canavalia virosa= _Wight_ & _Arn._ Herbaceous climber. Leaves 3-fol., with stipels; flowers nearly white to bright pink; pod 4 in. long by 1½ in. wide, thickened on either side of the dorsal suture. Bahr El Ghazal Prov. (Mittu-land: by the Yokko). =C. regalis= _Dunn._ TAMBUI (J. Eliri)—Nuba. Herbaceous twiner. Leaves 3-fol. with stipels; pods up to 9 in. long, thickened on either side of the dorsal suture; seeds nearly 1 in. long, deep pink. Nuba Mts. Prov. (J. Eliri); Bahr El Ghazal Prov. In the Bahr El Ghazal bracelets of strung seed are worn to bring luck in the chase. =C. ensiformis= _DC._ LUBIA EL FIL (Meshra El Zeraf)—Arab; BOLUKI (Dilling)—Nuba; NZERAHNA—Krej. Strong herbaceous climber. Leaves 3-fol.; flowers pink; pod about 6 in. long with a rib on either side of the dorsal suture; seeds dark. Kassala Prov. (Gallabat); Blue Nile Prov.; Kordofan Prov.; Upper White Nile, Bahr El Ghazal & Mongalla Provinces. The Sword Bean, wild and cultivated. 332 =Phaseolus lunatus= _Linn._ Lima, Burma, Sugar, or Butter Bean. Twining herb. Leaves 3-fol., central leaflet ovate-deltoid, 4 in. long. Racemes axillary; cor. violet. Pod 3 in. long, flat, broad crescent- shaped. Fung Prov. (Jongol’s Post); Bahr El Ghazal Prov. (Cultivated). The ripe seeds contain Prussic acid, which is, however, destroyed in cooking. =P. Mungo= _Linn._ GESHARINGEIK (Sudan) & KASHARINGI (Egypt)—Arab; BAKWA—Bongo; ABAGPA—Zande. Sub-erect annual, yellowish hairy. Leaflets 3. Racemes axillary, 4-6 flowered; cor. yellowish. Pod linear, terete 2 in. long, tawny hairy. Cultivated. In Basutoland the seeds are used by the natives to mature boils, abscesses, etc. The seeds are chewed and applied to the sore. The green pods and seeds are used for food, and the whole plant for fodder. =P. adenanthus= _E. Meyer._ Herbaceous twiner. Leaves 3-fol., with stipels; flowers pink; pod 5-6 in. long and over ½ in. wide; seeds 12-16, almost circular, black. Nubia; Fung Prov. (Jongol’s Post); White Nile Prov. The tuberous root is eaten in India. =P. vulgaris= _Linn._ LUBIA KHADRA or LUBIA HAMRA—Arab. The Kidney, French, or Haricot Bean. Climbing annual. Leaflets 3. Peduncles in pairs, 2-3-flowered; cor. white or lilac. Pod 5 in. long, straight. Cultivated. =P. stenocarpus= _Harms._ Twiner with wiry stems. Leaves trifoliolate; leaflets ovate-lanceolate, obtuse, 1½-2 in. long, glabrous. Flowers very small. Pods linear, falcate, 3 in. long, glabrous. Bahr El Ghazal Prov. (Jur Ghattas & Bongo-land: Kulengo). =P. trilobus= _Ait._ Prostrate perennial. Leaves 3-fol.; leaflets deeply sinuate-lobate; stipules peltately attached; pod 1-1½ in. long, linear. Flowers 2-4 on 3-6 in. long peduncles, reddish. Cultivated. Yields pulse. =P. sp.=