Lablab
Lablab is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family, represented by the cultivated hyacinth bean, Lablab purpureus.
Lablab purpureus: A tropical legume cultivated for its edible pods, seeds, and leaves, also known as hyacinth bean. It is the cultivated species that represents the genus.
Hyacinth bean: A common name for Lablab purpureus, a legume grown for food and animal fodder. This crop is the genus's principal cultivated representative.
Root nodule: A specialized swelling on a plant root that houses nitrogen-fixing bacteria. Lablab roots can develop nodules through symbiosis with rhizobia.
Common bean: The crop species Phaseolus vulgaris, cultivated worldwide for its edible seeds and pods. It is a familiar food legume from a different genus.
Fabaceae: The flowering-plant family that includes peas, beans, lentils, and many other species. Lablab belongs to this large family of legumes.
Cover crop: A crop grown primarily to protect and improve soil rather than to be harvested for sale. Hyacinth bean can be grown to provide ground cover and add organic matter.
Rhizobium: A genus of soil bacteria that forms nitrogen-fixing symbioses with many legumes. These bacteria can inhabit Lablab root nodules and supply usable nitrogen.
Cowpea: The crop Vigna unguiculata, a warm-season legume grown for its seeds, leaves, and pods. It is another drought-adapted tropical food legume, but belongs to Vigna.
Phaseoleae: A tribe of legumes that includes Lablab, common beans, and several other tropical crops. This tribe places Lablab among closely related legume genera.
Forage: Plant material eaten by grazing animals or harvested as livestock feed. Lablab foliage and pods can serve as animal feed.