Common Name: Green Bean
Description
Phaseolus vulgaris, the common bean (also known as the string bean, field bean, flageolet bean, French bean, garden bean, green bean, haricot bean, pop bean, or snap bean), is a herbaceous annual plant grown worldwide for its edible dry seed (known as just “beans”) or unripe fruit (green beans). Its leaf is also occasionally used as a vegetable and the straw as fodder. Its botanical classification, along with other Phaseolus species, is as a member of the legume family Fabaceae, most of whose members acquire the nitrogen they require through an association with rhizobia, a species of nitrogen-fixing bacteria.
The common bean is a highly variable species that has a long history of cultivation. All wild members of the species have a climbing habit, but many cultivars are classified as “bush beans” or “pole beans”, depending on their style of growth. These include the kidney bean, the navy bean, the pinto bean, and the wax …Read more
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Annuals
Cleome gynandra
Common Name: Spiderplant
Description
Cleome gynandra is a species of Cleome that is used as a green vegetable. It is known by many common names including Shona cabbage[, African cabbage, spiderwisp, cat’s whiskers,and stinkweed. It is an annual wildflower native to Africa but has become widespread in many tropical and sub-tropical parts of the world. It is an erect, branching plant generally between 25 cm and 60 cm tall. Its sparse leaves are each made up of 3-5 oval-shaped leaflets. The flowers are white, sometimes changing to rose pink as they age. The seed is a brown 1.5mm diameter sphere. The leaves are edible. . . . .Read more
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Dioscorea alata
Common Name: Yams
Description
Dioscorea alata, known as purple yam and many other names, is a species of yam, a tuberous root vegetable. The tubers are usually bright lavender in color, hence the common name, but they may sometimes be white. It is sometimes confused with taro and the Okinawa sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas cv. Ayamurasaki), although D. alata is also grown in Okinawa where it is known . . . . .Read more
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Plectranthus esculentus
Common Name: African Potato
Description
Plectranthus esculentus, with English common names kaffir potato, and Livingstone potato, is a species of plant in the dicot family Lamiaceae. It is indigenous to Africa, where it is grown for its edible tubers. It is more difficult to cultivate than Plectranthus rotundifolius, but able to give greater yields. Although the crop is similar to a potato it is from the mint family but it is still quite nutritious and useful. This crop can benefit many subsistence farmers since it is native, easy to grow, growing popularity in the market and quite nutritious. . . . .Read more
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