Common Name:

General Information

Vigna dalzelliana is a perennial plant producing stems that creep over the ground or twine into the surrounding vegetation[].
The plant is sometimes harvested from the wild for local use as a food. It is also sometimes grown for soil conservation.
The forest habitat of this species suffers from the general threats of loss and degradation as a result of expanding human populations, particularly conversion for agricultural purposes. There is no population data available, however, the population is inferred to be large as it has a wide geographical distribution and occurs in forest over a large altitudinal range. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2012)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

E. Asia - Pakistan, India, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Philippines.

Habitat

Var dalzelliana is found mainly on burned places in forests, on black soils, to 2,000 metres[]. Var elongata occurs in gorges on sandy soils[]. A component of the ground flora of monsoon forest, it is also found mountain grassland[].

Properties

Conservation Status	Least Concern
Edibility Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	0.00 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

The plant often has a creeping habit and can form new roots from stem nodes[].
This species is considered to be a crop wild relative of green gram (Vigna radiata) and black gram (Vigna mungo)[].
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

The seeds can be used in the same way as Vigna radiata[]. The seedpods are 30 - 56mm long, containing 8 - 10 seeds[].

The uses of Vigna radiata are as follows:-
Mature seed - cooked or sprouted[]. The dried seeds are boiled and used in a wide range of ways[]. For example, they can be eaten as a vegetable, added to soups and stews or they can be fermented into Indian dishes such as idli[, ]. The seed is often also sprouted and either used in salads or cooked[, ]. The seed is split in two, then fried and eaten as a snack[]. The seed can also be ground into a powder and used in making dishes such as starch noodles, biscuits, bread etc[].

Medicinal

None known

Agroforestry Uses:

The plant usually creeps over the ground, rooting as it goes. It is excellent for soil conservation[].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed -

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