Common Name:

General Information

Vigna marina is a perennial plant producing annual stems that can be several metres long. These stems trail over the ground or twine into the surrounding vegetation[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and medicine. It is sometimes grown as a food crop (in the Maldives, for example) and is also used as a sand binder and ground cover.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Pantropical, along sea coasts.

Habitat

In the vicinity of sandy or stony sea shores, often just above the high tide mark, in coastal lagoons and river mouths, not occurring at much higher elevations[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Perennial Climber
Height	3.00 m
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

Found in coastal areas through much of the tropics, it requires an annual rainfall of at least 500mm annual to survive. The plant is very frost-sensitive[].
Grows well on wet and poorly drained soils[]. The plant is obviously salt-tolerant[].
Plants can flower and produce fruit all year round[].
This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria; these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[].

Edible Uses

Seeds - cooked[]. The seedpods are 35 - 60mm long and 8 - 9mm wide; containing 2 - 6 yellow-brown or red-brown seeds 5 - 7mm long and 5mm wide[].

The thicker roots are sometimes eaten after roasting[].

Leaves - cooked and eaten as a vegetable. They require thorough cooking[].

Medicinal

The plant is used medicinally[].

The fresh leaves are crushed with lime and water, squeezed and the juice drunk as a remedy for stomach aches[]. The juice extracted from freshly crushed young leaves is given to children as a treatment for asthma[].
The leaves are heated over a fire and then used as a poultice on sores[].

Agroforestry Uses:

Vigna marina occurs as a natural sand binder on sea shores and coastal sand dunes. It is also cultivated as a cover crop[].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed -

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