Oxyrhynchus volubilis
Brandegee
Fabaceae
Dolichos insularis Britton
Oxyrhynchus alienus Piper
Oxyrhynchus insularis (Britton) Piper
Common Name: Island Bean
General Information
Oxyrhynchus volubilis is a herbaceous perennial climbing plant with twining stems that scramble over the ground and climb into the surrounding vegetation for support.
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food.
Oxyrhynchus volubilis appears to be widespread in its natural range, it is known to occur within the protected area network and there are no major threats to the species at present, therefore the population is believed to be stable . The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[
338- Title
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.iucnredlist.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
].
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
1551- Title
- Phytologia Volume 15
- Publication
-
- Author
- Moldenke H.N. & Moldenke A.L.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Harold N. Moldenke and Alma L. Moldenke; New York
- Year
- 1967
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A botanical publication with a specific purpose of publishing the names and descriptions of newly described species. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
Range
Southern N. America - Texas, eastern Mexico; Caribbean - Cuba, Bahamas
Habitat
Mattoral and secondary vegetation; at elevations from 330 - 640 metres[
338- Title
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.iucnredlist.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
].
Properties
| Conservation Status | Least Concern |
| Edibility Rating |  |
| Other Uses Rating |  |
| Habit | Perennial Climber |
| Height | 0.00 m |
| Cultivation Status | Wild |
Cultivation Details
Oxyrhynchus volubilis is native from the warm temperate zone of southern USA to the tropics of eastern Mexico and the Caribbean.
This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria called Rhizobia. These bacteria form nodules on the roots of the plants and fix atmospheric nitrogen, plants may fail to flourish due to the absence of the appropriate Rhizobium species. Some of the nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[
755- Title
- Nodulation Plants in GRIN Taxonomy
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.ars-grin.gov/~sbmljw/cgi-bin/taxnodul.pl?language=en
- Publisher
- United States Department of Agriculture
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An online database listing plants that have either positive or negative reports on root and stem nodulation with nitrogen-fixing bacteria.
].
Edible Uses
Seed - cooked[
1438- Title
- Food Plants in the Americas: A Survey of the Domesticated, Cultivated, and Wild Plants Used for Human Food in North,
- Publication
-
- Author
- Kermath B.M.; Bennett B.C.' Pulsipher L.M.
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 2014
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A pre-publication draft of an amazing, on-going work first started in 1985. It contains information on more than 3,900 taxa from the Americas - from Arctic regions to the Tropics
]. The seedpods are 4 - 6cm long, 2 - 3cm wide and 1 - 2cm thick, containing 2 - 3 seeds 10 - 15mm long and 10 - 14mm in diameter[
1551- Title
- Phytologia Volume 15
- Publication
-
- Author
- Moldenke H.N. & Moldenke A.L.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Harold N. Moldenke and Alma L. Moldenke; New York
- Year
- 1967
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A botanical publication with a specific purpose of publishing the names and descriptions of newly described species. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
Medicinal
None known
Other Uses
The seeds are used as marbles in children's games[
1551- Title
- Phytologia Volume 15
- Publication
-
- Author
- Moldenke H.N. & Moldenke A.L.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Harold N. Moldenke and Alma L. Moldenke; New York
- Year
- 1967
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A botanical publication with a specific purpose of publishing the names and descriptions of newly described species. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
Propagation
Seed -
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Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
