Genus: Mucuna

Life > eukaryotes > Archaeoplastida > Chloroplastida > Charophyta > Streptophytina > Plantae (land plants) > Tracheophyta (vascular plants) > Euphyllophyta > Lignophyta (woody plants) > Spermatophyta (seed plants) > Angiospermae (flowering plants) > Eudicotyledons > Core Eudicots > Rosids > Eurosid I > Fabales > Fabaceae > Subfamily: Papilionoideae

About 100 species, widespread in warm regions, with five species native to southern Africa and a further three species that are cultivated in the region.

Species native to southern Africa

List from Plants of southern Africa - an online checklist (SANBI), Flora of Zimbabwe and Flora of Mozambique.

Mucuna coriacea
Mucuna ferox Recorded from Zimbabwe.
Mucuna gigantea
Mucuna poggei Recorded from Zimbabwe.
Mucuna pruriens (Cow itch, Bengal bean, Velvet bean)

Species cultivated in southern Africa

List from Glen (2002).

Mucuna bennettii Native to New Guinea.
Mucuna nivea Native from India to Burma.
Mucuna nova-guineensis Native to New Guinea.