Mucuna pruriens

Family:FABACEAE
Species:Mucuna pruriens (L.)DC.
Common Name:COWITCH; VELVETBEAN
Plant Notes:This plant is notable for producing irritating hairs on its fruits, containing serotonin (a neurotransmitter) (Bowden et al. 1954) and mucanain (a cysteine protease) (Papoiu et al. 2011). However, some plants do not produce the irritants (Hammerton 2003). Both the non-irritating and irritating forms can be found in Florida .
Status:Not Native
Specimen: View details of USF Herbarium specimens

** Not applicable or data not available.

Classification

Division
Class
Sub Class
Order FABALES
FamilyFABACEAE
Genus Mucuna
Species Mucuna pruriens (L.)DC. - COWITCH; VELVETBEAN

Citation

Citation MUCUNA PRURIENS (Linnaeus) de Candolle, Prodr. 2: 405. 1825.
Basionym: Dolichos pruriens Linnaeus 1759.
Type: INDONESIA: Ambon Island, without data (lectotype: Rumphius, Herb. Amboin. 5: t. 142. 1747). Lectotypified by Merrill, Interpr. Rumph. Herb. Amb. 33, 277. 1917.

** Not applicable or data not available.

Source

CountyHerbariaLiterature Citation (If Applicable)
Broward USF  
Lee FLAS  
Miami-Dade USF  
Monroe Keys GH  
Palm Beach USF  

Synonyms

– Denotes synonyms that are applicable to the state. Show these synonyms only

SynonymFull CitationBasionymType
Carpopogon pruriens Carpopogon pruriens (Linnaeus) Roxburgh, Fl. Ind., ed. 1832. 3: 283. 1832.BASIONYM: Dolichos pruriens Linnaeus 1754. 
Dolichos pruriens Dolichos pruriens Linnaeus, Herb. Amb. 23. 1754. TYPE: INDONESIA: Ambon Island, without data (lectotype: Rumphius, Herb. Amboin. 5: t. 142. 1747). Lectotypified by Merrill, Interpr. Rumph. Herb. Amb. 33, 277. 1917.
Mucuna deeringiana Mucuna deeringiana (Bort) Merrill, Philipp. J. Sci. 5: 118. 1910.BASIONYM: Stizolobium deeringianum Bort 1909. 
Mucuna pruriens var. utilis Mucuna pruriens (Linnaeus) de Candolle, var. utilis (Wallich ex Wight) Baker ex Burck, Ann. Jard. Bot. Buitenzorg 11: 187. 1893.BASIONYM: Mucuna utilis Wallich ex Wight 1840. 
Mucuna prurita Mucuna prurita Hooker, in Wight, Bot. Misc. 2: 348. 1831, nom. illegit.BASIONYM: Dolichos pruriens Linnaeus 1754. 
Mucuna utilis Mucuna utilis Wallich ex Wight, Icon. Pl. Ind. Orient. 1: t. 280. 1840.  
Stizolobium deeringianum Stizolobium deeringianum Bort, Bull. Bur. Pl. Industr., U.S.D.A. 141: 31. 1909. TYPE: FLORIDA:
Stizolobium pruriens Stizolobium pruriens (Linnaeus) Medikus, Vorles. Churpfälz. Phys.-Okon. Ges. 2: 399. 1787.BASIONYM: Dolichos pruriens Linnaeus 1754. 
Stizolobium pruritum Stizolobium pruritum Piper & Tracy, Bull. Bur. Pl. Industr., U.S.D.A. 179: 10. 1910, nom. illegit.BASIONYM: Mucuna prurita Hooker 1831, nom. illegit.; Dolichos pruriens Linnaeus 1754. 
Stizolobium utile Stizolobium utile (Wallich ex Wight) Piper & Tracy, Bull. Bur. Pl. Industr., U.S.D.A. 179: 14. 1910.BASIONYM: Mucuna utilis Wallich ex Wight 1840. 
Stizolobium utile subsp. deeringianum Stizolobium utile (Wallich ex Wight) Piper & Tracy, subsp. deeringianum (Bort) Ditmann, Fl. Cult. Pl. 4: 403. 1937.BASIONYM: Stizolobium deeringianum Bort 1909. 
Carpopogon capitatum Carpopogon capitatum Roxburgh, Fl. Ind., ed. 1832. 3: 284. 1832.  
Carpopogon niveum Carpopogon niveum (de Candolle) Roxburgh, Fl. Ind., ed. 1832. 3: 285. 1832.BASIONYM: Mucuna nivea de Candolle 1825. 
Marcanthus cochinchinensis Marcanthus cochinchinensis Loureiro, Fl. Cochinch. 461. 1790.  
Mucuna aterrima Mucuna aterrima (Piper & Tracy) Holland, Bull. Misc. Inform. Kew, Addit. Ser. 9: 216. 1911.BASIONYM: Stizolobium aterrimum Piper & Tracy 1910. 
Mucuna capitata Mucuna capitata (Roxburgh) Wight & Arnott, Prodr. Fl. Ind. Orient. 1: 255. 1834.BASIONYM: Carpopogon capitatum Roxburgh 1832. 
Mucuna cochinchinensis Mucuna cochinchinensis (Loureiro) A. Chevalier, Bull. Agric. Inst. Sci. Indochina 1: 91. 1919.BASIONYM: Marcanthus cochinchinensis Loureiro 1790. 
Mucuna hassjoo Mucuna hassjoo (Piper & Tracy) Mansfeld, Kulturpflanze 2: 204. 1959.BASIONYM: Stizolobium hassjoo Piper & Tracy 1910. 
Mucuna lyonii Mucuna lyonii Merrill, Philipp. J. Sci., Suppl. 1: 197. 1906.  
Mucuna nivea Mucuna nivea de Candolle, Prodr. 2: 406. 1825. TYPE: INDIA: Bengal:
Mucuna pachylobia Mucuna pachylobia (Piper & Tracy) Rock, Legum. Pl. Hawaii 199. 1920.BASIONYM: Stizolobium pachylobium Piper & Tracy 1910. 
Mucuna pruriens var. biflora Mucuna pruriens (Linnaeus) de Candolle, var. biflora Trimen, Handb. Fl. Ceylon 2: 63. 1894.  
Mucuna pruriens var. capitata Mucuna pruriens (Linnaeus) de Candolle, var. capitata (Roxburgh) Burck, Ann. Jard. Bot. Buitenzorg 11: 187. 1893.BASIONYM: Carpopogon capitatum Roxburgh 1832. 
Mucuna velutina Mucuna velutina Hasskarl, Flora 25(2, Beibl.): 77. 1842.  
Phaseolus unguiculatus Phaseolus unguiculatus Linnaeus, Herb. Amb. 23. 1754. TYPE: INDONESIA: Amboin Island, without data (lectotype: Rumphius, Herb. Amboin. 5: t. 138. 1747). Lectotypified by Verdcourt, in Turland & C. E. Jarvis, Taxon 46: 479. 1997.
Stizolobium aterrimum Stizolobium aterrimum Piper & Tracy, Bull. Bur. Pl. Industr., U.S.D.A. 179: 18. 1910.  
Stizolobium capitatum Stizolobium capitatum (Roxburgh) Kuntze, Revis. Gen. Pl. 1: 208. 1891.BASIONYM: Carpopogon capitatum Roxburgh 1832. 
Stizolobium cinerium Stizolobium cinerium Piper & Tracy, Bull. Bur. Pl. Industr., U.S.D.A. 179: 15. 1910.  
Stizolobium cochinchinense Stizolobium cochinchinense (Loureiro) Burkart, Descr. Pl. Cult. 1: 503. 1959.BASIONYM: Marcanthus cochinchinensis Loureiro 1790. 
Stizolobium hassjoo Stizolobium hassjoo Piper & Tracy, Bull. Bur. Pl. Industr., U.S.D.A. 179: 17. 1910.  
Stizolobium microspermum Stizolobium microspermum Piper, Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash. 30: 60. 1917.  
Stizolobium niveum Stizolobium niveum (de Candolle) Kuntze, Revis. Gen. Pl. 1: 208. 1891.BASIONYM: Mucuna nivea de Candolle 1825. 
Stizolobium pachylobium Stizolobium pachylobium Piper & Tracy, Bull. Bur. Pl. Industr., U.S.D.A. 179: 19. 1910.  
Stizolobium pruritum subsp. maculatum Stizolobium pruritum Piper & Tracy, subsp. maculatum Piper, Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash. 30: 59. 1917.  
Stizolobium pruritum subsp. officinale Stizolobium pruritum Piper & Tracy, subsp. officinale Piper, Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash. 30: 57. 1917. TYPE: JAMAICA:
Stizolobium pruritum var. biflorum Stizolobium pruritum Piper & Tracy, var. biflorum (Trimen) Piper, Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash. 30: 60. 1917.BASIONYM: Mucuna pruriens (Linnaeus) de Candolle, var. biflora Trimen 1894. 
Stizolobium utile subsp. aterrimum Stizolobium utile (Wallich ex Wight) Piper & Tracy, subsp., aterrimum (Piper & Tracy) Ditmann, Fl. Cult. Pl. 4: 405. 1937.BASIONYM: Stizolobium aterrimum Piper & Tracy 1910. 
Stizolobium utile subsp. hassjoo Stizolobium utile (Wallich ex Wight) Piper & Tracy, subsp. hassjoo (Piper & Tracy) Ditmann, Fl. Cult. Pl. 4: 404. 1937.BASIONYM: Stizolobium hassjoo Piper & Tracy 1910. 
Stizolobium utile subsp. pachylobium Stizolobium utile (Wallich ex Wight) Piper & Tracy, subsp. pachylobium (Piper & Tracy) Ditmann, Fl. Cult. Pl. 4: 405. 1937.BASIONYM: Stizolobium pachylobium Piper & Tracy 1910. 
Stizolobium utile var. floridanum Stizolobium utile (Wallich ex Wight) Piper & Tracy, var. floridanum Ditmann, Fl. Cult. Pl. 4: 403. 1937. TYPE: FLORIDA: Cult. in Florida,
Stizolobium velutinum Stizolobium velutinum (Hasskarl) Piper & Tracy, Bull. Bur. Pl. Industr., U.S.D.A. 179: 20. 1910.BASIONYM: Mucuna velutina Hasskarl 1842. 

Specimens

Country State County Date Specimen Notes Image
USA Florida Miami-Dade Co. 11 Dec 1968 G. N. Avery 559
USA Florida Palm Beach Co. 01 Dec 1994 M. Bodle s.n.
USA Florida Broward Co. 12 Feb 2002 P. L. Howell 693
USA Florida Miami-Dade Co. 27-28 Oct 1969 O. K. Lakela 31935
USA South Carolina 05 Sep 1956 H. E. Ahles 17921
USA Florida Miami-Dade Co. 20 Nov 1967 H. W. Barrick 14
USA Florida Miami-Dade Co. 31 Dec 2015 A. R. Franck 4000
USA Florida Miami-Dade Co. 03 Oct 1970 W. T. Gillis 9894 CULTIVATED. FG-68-298.
USA Florida Miami-Dade Co. 03 Oct 1970 W. T. Gillis s.n. CULTIVATED. FG-68-298; source unknown.
USA Florida Lee Co. 28 Nov 1967 W. C. Brumbach 6024 CULTIVATED.
USA Florida Lee Co. 08 Nov 1969 W. C. Brumbach 6990 CULTIVATED.
China Jiangxi Prov. 1947 Y. K. Hsiung 6186 CULTIVATED.
China Sichuan Prov. 25 Aug 1943 L.-Y. Tai T1465 CULTIVATED.
Puerto Rico Añasco Mun. 09 Nov 1993 M. Nee 44167
Cayman Islands Grand Cayman Island 15 Dec 1971 N. Chevalier 322
USA Florida Miami-Dade Co. 19 Nov 2019 A. R. Franck 4762 Sheet 1 of 2.
USA Florida Miami-Dade Co. 19 Nov 2019 A. R. Franck 4762 Sheet 2 of 2.
USA Florida Miami-Dade Co. 04 Apr 2019 A. R. Franck 4511
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