The winged bean (Psophocarpus tetragonolobus), also known as cigarillas, goa bean, four-angled bean, four-cornered bean, manila bean, princess bean, asparagus pea, dragon bean, is a tropical herbaceous legume plant.
Winged bean is widely recognised by farmers and consumers in South Asia for its variety of uses and disease resistance. Winged bean is nutrient-rich and all parts of the plant are edible. The leaves can be eaten like spinach, flowers can be used in salads, tubers can be eaten raw or cooked, and seeds can be used in similar ways as the soybean. The winged bean is an underutilised species but has the potential to become a major multi-use food crop in the tropics of Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
Description
The winged bean plant grows as a vine with climbing stems and leaves, 3–4 m (10–13 ft) in height. It is an herbaceous perennial, but can be grown as an annual. It is generally taller and notably larger than the common bean. The leaves can be 15 cm (6 in) long.[2] The shape of its leaves ranges from ovate to deltoid, ovate-lanceolate, lanceolate, and long lanceolate.[1] The green tone of the leaves also varies. The stem is most commonly green, but sometimes boasts purple. The large flower is pale blue.
The bean pod may be smooth or rough, depending on the genotype. It is typically 15–22 cm (6–8+1⁄2 in) long, rectangular in cross-section[2] (though sometimes appearing flat), and has four wings with frilly edges running lengthwise. The skin is waxy and the flesh partially translucent in the young pods. The colour of the pods may be cream, green, pink, or purple. When fully ripe, the pod turns an ash-brown color and splits open to release the seeds (beans). The seed shape is often round; oval and rectangular seeds also occur. Seeds may appear white, cream, dark tan, or brown, depending on growing and storage conditions.[1] The beans themselves are similar to soybeans in both use and nutritional content (being 29.8% to 39% protein). -source wikipedia
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