Home | > | List of families | > | Fabaceae subfamily Papilionoideae | > | Mucuna | > | coriacea |
Synonyms: |
Mucuna irritans Burtt Davy |
Common names: | Buffalo bean (English) Huriri (Shona) Uriri (Shona) |
Frequency: | Occasional |
Status: | Native |
Description: |
Trailing or climbing herb with annual stems growing from a perennial root stock. The fruits and parts of the flower are densely covered in highly irritant hairs. |
Notes: | See Mucuna pruriens for comparison. The irritant hairs cause a severe burning rash at the slightest touch. The ripe fruits lose their hairs so that even contact with grass or other vegetation nearby may have the same result. |
Derivation of specific name: | coriacea: leathery, thick-leaved; irritans: irritant, referring to the the highly irritant hairs. |
Habitat: | Mostly at lower altitudes in Brachystegia woodland, riverine scrub and wooded hillsides. |
Altitude range: (metres) | Up to 1550 m |
Flowering time: | Jan - May |
Worldwide distribution: | From the DRC and East Africa south to South Africa |
Zimbabwe distribution: | N,C,E,S |
Growth form(s): | Climber, shrub over 2 m. |
Endemic status: | |
Red data list status: | |
Insects associated with this species: | |
Spot characters: | Display spot characters for this species |
Images last updated: | Tuesday 9 May 2006 |
Literature: |
Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 39. Drummond, R.B. (1972). A list of Rhodesian Legumes. Kirkia 8(2) Page 224. Drummond, R.B. (1975). A list of trees, shrubs and woody climbers indigenous or naturalised in Rhodesia. Kirkia 10(1) Page 247. Mackinder, B. et al. (2001). Papilionoideae Flora Zambesiaca 3(5) Pages 20 - 22. Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 50. Plowes, D.C.H. & Drummond, R.B. (1990). Wild Flowers of Zimbabwe. Revised edition. Longman, Zimbabwe. No. 59, plate 84 Strugnell, A.M. (2006). A Checklist of the Spermatophytes of Mount Mulanje, Malawi Scripta Botanica Belgica 34 National Botanic Garden of Belgium Page 101. |
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