Oriental-bean
StarVigna umbellata
Synonyms: Phaseolus hispidulus, Phaseolus chrysanthos var. hirtus, Phaseolus humilis, Vigna ricciardiana, Vigna papuana, Phaseolus torosus, Vigna brachycalyx, Vigna ricciardiana var. macrocarpa, Phaseolus ricciardianus, Dolichos umbellatus, Phaseolus leptospermus, Phaseolus chrysanthos, Phaseolus hirtuz, Azukia umbellata, Vigna calcarata, Phaseolus ricciardianus var. macrocarpus, Phaseolus calcaratus
Western Herbalism Properties
Traditional Uses
In China the seeds of rice bean are one of the recognised botanical sources of the traditional medicinal “chi xiao dou,” taken as a decoction to promote urination and relieve oedema and damp swelling, and also used in folk practice to support recovery and reduce dampness (Chinese Pharmacopoeia; Bensky, Materia Medica). Similar folk use of the cooked seeds as a mild diuretic for water retention is reported in parts of India and South-East Asia.
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Botanical Description
Vigna umbellata, the rice bean or oriental bean, is an annual, warm-season legume of the family Fabaceae, grown as a minor pulse and fodder crop across Asia. It is a twining to semi-erect, somewhat hairy herb with slender stems that climb or trail over a metre in length. The leaves are trifoliolate with broadly ovate, often shallowly lobed leaflets, and the bright yellow, pea-like flowers are borne in small axillary clusters. The fruit is a long, slender, cylindrical pod that hangs downward and splits to release numerous small, oblong seeds; these vary in colour from red and yellow to brown, black or mottled. Probably domesticated in southern and south-eastern Asia from a wild progenitor, it is now cultivated from India through China to South-East Asia, thriving in warm, humid lowlands and tolerating poor soils, drought and waterlogging better than many other pulses, which makes it valuable as a catch crop, green manure and cover crop.
This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using any herbal remedy, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking medications.
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