Canavalia

Several species are valued legume crops, including common jack-bean (C. ensiformis), sword bean (C. gladiata) and C. cathartica. At least the first makes a beneficial weed- and pathogen-suppressing living mulch. The common jack-bean is also a source of the lectin concanavalin A, which is used as a reagent in glycoprotein biochemistry and immunology. The jack-bean is also a common source of purified urease enzyme used in scientific research. The bay bean (Canavalia rosea) is supposedly mildly psychoactive when smoked, and is used in tobacco substitutes. ==Ecology==

Some animals have adaptations to the defensive chemicals of jack-beans. Caterpillars such as that of the two-barred flasher (Astraptes fulgerator) are sometimes found on Canavalia. The plant pathogenic ascomycete fungus Mycosphaerella canavaliae was described from a jack-bean. Introduced herbivores have wreaked havoc on Canavalia on the Hawaiian Islands and made some nearly extinct; it may be that these lost their chemical defenses because no herbivorous mammals existed in their range until introduced by humans. The usually bright pea-flowers are pollinated by insects such as solitary bees and carpenter bees such as Xylocopa confusa. ==History==

The genus name Canavalia was, as recently as 1913, known as Canavali. The name of the genus comes from a common name for Canavalia rosea used in India and adapted by Augustin Pyramus de Candolle. ==Diversity==

illustration. Francisco Manuel Blanco, Flora de Filipinas, etc.'' (1880–1883) '' Species include: • Canavalia gibbosa • Canavalia glabra • Canavalia gladiata – sword bean, scimitar-bean • Canavalia gladiolata • Canavalia grandiflora • Canavalia hawaiiensis • Canavalia hirsutissima • Canavalia kauaiensis • Canavalia lineata • Canavalia llanorum • Canavalia macrantha • Canavalia macrobotrys • Canavalia macropleura • Canavalia madagascariensis • Canavalia mandibulata • Canavalia mattogrossensis • Canavalia matudae • Canavalia mauiensis • Canavalia megalantha • Canavalia microsperma • Canavalia mireyae • Canavalia mollis • Canavalia molokaiensis – Molokaʻi jack-bean • Canavalia napaliensis – Mākaha Valley jack-bean • Canavalia nitida • Canavalia obidensis • Canavalia oxyphylla • Canavalia palmeri • Canavalia papuana • Canavalia parviflora • Canavalia picta • Canavalia piperi • Canavalia plagiosperma – giant bean, oblique-seed jack-bean • Canavalia pubescens – lavafield jack-bean • Canavalia raiateensis • Canavalia ramosii • Canavalia reflexiflora • Canavalia regalis • Canavalia rosea – bay bean, beach-bean, coastal jack-bean, fire-bean, Mackenzie-bean • Canavalia rotundata • Canavalia rugosa • Canavalia saueri • Canavalia septentrionalis • Canavalia sericea • Canavalia sericophylla • Canavalia sousae • Canavalia straminea • Canavalia variegata • Canavalia veillonii • Canavalia villosa • Canavalia vitiensis • Canavalia wurdackii Formerly placed here • Dysolobium grande (Wall. ex Benth.) Prain (as C. grandis (Wall. ex Benth.) Kurz) ==Gallery==

File:Canavalia gladiata - P1100580.JPG|Canavalia gladiata File:Starr 040410-0108 Canavalia pubescens.jpg|Canavalia pubescens File:Starr 080208-2482 Canavalia hawaiiensis.jpg|Canavalia hawaiiensis File:Canavalia napaliensis (6259061207).jpg|Canavalia napaliensis File:Beach Bean (Canavalia rosea) (6035947049).jpg|Canavalia rosea ==See also==