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Vigna radiata (L.) R.Wilczek

Family Name:	Fabaceae (Leguminosae)
Synonyms:	Phaseolus aureus
Common Name:	Mung bean, Green gram, Green bean, 绿豆

Full Sun

Moderate Water

Fruit or Vegetable

Indoor Plant

Annual

Creeper

Name

Family Name
Genus Epithet
Species Epithet
Name Authority
Name Status (botanical)
Synonyms
Common Names
Comments

Classifications and Characteristics

Plant Division	Angiosperms (Flowering Seed Plants) (Dicotyledon)
Plant Growth Form	Creeper
Lifespan (in Singapore)	Annual

Biogeography

Native Distribution	India
Native Habitat	Terrestrial
Preferred Climate Zone	Tropical

Description and Ethnobotany

Foliage	Alternate arrangement, 3 foliolate (sometimes 5 foliolate), dark green; stipules ovate, 0.8-1.2cm, leaflet elliptic/ovate, 5-16cm long, 3-12cm broad; petiole 5-21cm long, rachis 1.5-4.5cm long; glabrous or bristly pilose(soft long hairs) on both surfaces.
Stems	Erect, twining or creeping, angular, covered with long spreading hairs.
Fruit	Linear cylindrical pod, 4-9cm long, 0.5-0.6cm broad, pubescent, hairs spreading, dark brown, 8-14 seeded.

Ethnobotanical Uses

Edible Plant Parts : Edible Seeds
Food (Fruit or Vegetable): Bean sprouts (豆芽) are eaten raw or cooked most Asian countries. Mung bean sprouts are stir-fried as Chinese vegetable accompaniment to a meal. Raw bean sprouts are used in filling for Vietnamese spring rolls. The starch extracted from mung beans is used in making noodles and jellies. They are also used in making desserts and soups.
Medicinal: The seeds are edible and are used medicinally. Mung beans have high protein and fiber content that yield complex carbohydrates, which help in digestion and bring down the cholesterol level in the body. According to Chinese medicine, the sprouts are considered as a cooling food with anti-cancerous properties.

Landscaping Features

Landscape Uses	General, Interiorscape/ Indoor Plant, Container Planting
Thematic Landscaping	Economic Garden

Plant Care and Propagation

Light Preference	Full Sun
Water Preference	Moderate Water
Plant Growth Rate	Fast

Rootzone Tolerance	Moist Soils, Well-Drained Soils, Fertile Loamy Soils
Propagation Method	Seed

Foliar

Foliage Retention	Evergreen
Mature Foliage Colour(s)	Green
Mature Foliage Texture(s)	Hairy / Hirsute

Foliar Modification	Stipule
Foliar Type	Compound (Trifoliate)
Foliar Arrangement Along Stem	Alternate
Foliar Attachment to Stem	Petiolate

Floral (Angiosperm)

Flower & Plant Sexuality	Bisexual Flowers
Flower Colour(s)	Yellow / Golden
Flower Grouping	Solitary

Flower Location

Axillary

Fruit, Seed and Spore

Mature Fruit Colour(s)	Black, Brown
Mature Seed Colour(s)	Green
Mature Seed Texture(s)	Smooth

Seed Quantity Per Fruit

Several (11-20)

Image Repository

Images

Others

Master ID	31491
Species ID	5888
Flora Disclaimer	The information in this website has been compiled from reliable sources, such as reference works on medicinal plants. It is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment and NParks does not purport to provide any medical advice. Readers should always consult his/her physician before using or consuming a plant for medicinal purposes.