Macroptilium lathyroides

Common Name: wild bushbean

Family: Fabaceae

Common Synonyms: Phaseolus lathyroides, P. semierectus

USDA Hardiness Zone: 8a-11

Growth Habit: Forb/Herb, Vine

Origin: Central America, North America-Mexico, South America

FISC Category: 2

FDACS Listed Noxious Weed: No

Introduction Date: Earliest Florida specimen available vouchered in 1944

IFAS Assessment:

  • North: CAUTION
  • Central: CAUTION
  • South: CAUTION
Macroptilium lathyroides
Harry Rose
Macroptilium lathyroides
Nicole Zampieri

Description

Wild bushbean is herbaceous and short-lived. 0.6-1 m tall, sometimes trailing or twining. May become woody at the base. Stems are sparsely to densely pubescent. Leaves are trifolioate, leaflets entire, ovate to lanceolate, or narrowly elliptic, 3-8 cm long, 1-3.5cm wide. Upper surface of leaves are glabrous while lower surface has adpressed hairs. Inflorescence are semi-erect, spicata raceme, about 15 cm long on axillary peduncle. Flowers are on very short pedicel, calyx campanulate, are red to red-purple in color, wing and keel petals are greenish, red, or white. Pods are linear, sub-cylindrical, glabrous or pubescent. Each pod contains up to 20 seeds. Seeds are brown or with brown and black markings.

Habitat

Disturbed sites. Found in central and south peninsula, and western panhandle.

Comments

NA

Map of species distribution

Control Methods

  • Manual: NA
  • Chemical: NA
  • Biological: NA

Control Notes

NA

References

http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/plant-profiles/http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/plant-profiles/ accessed 13 June, 2017

http://davesgarden.com accessed 13 June, 2017

http://www.tropicalforages.info/key/Forages/Media/Html/Macroptilium_lathyroides.htm

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