Vascular Plants of North Carolina
Section: Common Name: Scientific Name: Family:
Account for Velvet Bean - Mucuna pruriens   (L.) de Candolle
Members of Fabaceae:
Only member of Mucuna in NC.
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Section 6 » Order Fabales » Family Fabaceae
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Author(L.) de Candolle
DistributionA single collection from Robeson County in 1958: edge of field SW of St. Pauls, near Ten-Mile Swamp, R.F. Britt 2522 (NCU).

Native of Africa and SE Asia; in N.A. only FL, NC, SC.
AbundanceVery rare.
HabitatEdge of field.
PhenologyFlowering dates unknown.
IdentificationVelvet Bean is a high-climbing vine, the well-spaced leaves divided into 3 broadly ovate, pointed leaflets. Inflorescences droop and support many lavender to violet flowers. The pods are 2-5 inches long and fuzzy. Young parts of the plant and leaves can cause severe itching.
Taxonomic Comments
Other Common Name(s)
State RankSE
Global RankG5
State Status
US Status
USACE-agcp
USACE-emp
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