Common Name:

General Information

Mucuna flagellipes is a large climbing shrub with twining stems up to 12 metres long, exceptionally to 20 metres, and 3cm in diameter at the base[, ].
The plant is hrvested from the wild for local use as a medicine and source of materials.

Known Hazards

Mucuna species often possess irritant hairs on the seedpods and sometimes on the flowers and other parts. These hairs consist of 1-2 small basal cells and a large needle-like top cell. The top cell breaks off easily, piercing the skin and injecting chemical compounds that are present in the hairs. The proteolytic enzyme 'Mucunain' is said to be the active agent[].
The hairs can contaminate clothes or other objects, and remain active when dried, though they can be destroyed by heat[, , ]. Intense itching, with reddening of the skin and small papules or urticaria occur a few minutes after contact with the hairy parts of the plant. There is no serious danger, unless the hairs get into the eye, in which case, in extreme situations, they have caused blindness. To remove the hairs from the skin, adhesive tape and washing with water and soap are considered useful. Dermatitis can be treated with corticosteroid ointment. See a doctor immediately if hairs go into the eyes[].

Botanical References

Range

Tropical Africa - moister areas from Sierra Leone to Cameroon, Central African Republic, DR Congo, ?Uganda and ?Rwanda, south to northern Angola.

Habitat

Wet, shaded localities in riverine and swamp forests; on islands in rivers; edges of mangrove swamps; at elevations up to 1,400 metres[, ].

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Climber
Height	10.00 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Mucuna species generally grow best in a shady position in a humus-rich, moist but well-drained soil[].
Plants can flower and produce fruit all year round[].
The whole plant turns black when dried[].
Although many species within the family Fabaceae have a symbiotic relationship with soil bacteria, this species is said to be devoid of such a relationship and therefore does not fix atmospheric nitrogen[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

A decoction of leafy twigs is used as a beverage or a bath to treat rachitic children, and it is also taken as an emmenagogue and to stop diarrhoea[].

The pulverized fruits are applied against lice[].
The hairs on the fruit, which intensely irritate the skin, are used in a medicine to expel tapeworm[].

The cotyledons are eaten raw against slipped disc[].

The gum present in the seeds is an emulsifying and suspending agent and is, for example, applied in pharmacology to prepare suspensions of sulphadimine and zinc oxide[].

Other Uses

A black or blue-black dye can be obtained from the stems and leaves, often in combination with the fruits of Alchornea cordifolia[]. The dye is used for colouring vegetable fibres and cloth, leather, wooden objects and pottery[]. The items to be dyed are usually boiled up with the plant material in water[].
The leaf sap is used fresh as blue-black dye for bark cloth (pongo)[].
Tannins, cyanogenic glycosides and indolic alkaloids have all been reported in various Mucuna species and may all contribute to the colouring effect of the sap and leaves[].

The stems, branches and flower stalks are used as a rough fibre, to make rope etc[].

The seeds are used in games[].

The gum present in the seeds is an emulsifying and suspending agent and is, for example, used in bread baking to improve moisture retention and to reduce crumb firmness[].

Propagation

Seed -

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