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Jungli bean [Vigna trilobata (L.) Verdcourt]

Explanations

Taxonomy
Vigna trilobata is a wild species belonging to the subgenus Ceratotropis in the genus Vigna. Whyte et al.(1953) considered that V.trilobata is a wild ancestor of moth bean (V.aconitifolia). However, these two taxa are considered to be highly differentiated and quite distinct (Marechal et al. 1978, Tateishi 1996, Tomooka et al.1996). 2n=22 ?
Distribution
South India, Sri Lanka (Tateishi 1996)
Characteristics
According to Marechal et al.(1978), the morphology of Vigna trilobata is very similar to that of V.radiata var.sublobata (88.95 similarity). Compared with Vigna radiata var.sublobata, flower, pod and seed of V.trilobata are smaller, and it has very long peduncle, large stipule and nearly orbicular bractelole. V.trilobata shows characteristics of xerophyte. Leaflets are deeply lobed.
As genetic resources
V.trilobata is cultivated as fodder or cover crop in India (Jain and Mehra. 1980). Some tribes in India collect wild V.trilobata and eat. V.trilobata can cross with V.aconitifolia, V. radiata , V. mungo when used as a male parent (Jain and Mehra. 1980). There are few evaluation work on this species, and collection and evaluation as genetic resources are expected.
References
Jain,H.K. and K.L.Mehra. 1980. Evaluation, adaptation, relationship and cases of the species of Vigna cultivation in Asia. In Summerfield,R.J. and A.H.Butnting (eds.) Advances in legume science. Royal Botanical Garden, Kew. pp. 459-468.
Marechal,R., J.M.Mascherpa and F.Stainer. 1978. Etude taxonomique d'un groupe complexe d'speces des genres Phaseolus et Vigna (Papilionaceae) sur la base de donnees morphologiques et polliniques, traitees par l'analyse informatique. Boissiera 28.
Tateishi,Y. 1996. Systematics of the species of Vigna subgenus Ceratotropis. In "Mungbean Germplasm : Collection, Evaluation and Utilization for Breeding Program" JIRCAS Working Report No.2. pp.9-24. Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Science (JIRCAS), Japan.
Tomooka,N., C.Lairungreang and Y.Egawa. 1996. Taxonomic Position of Wild Vigna Species Collected in Thailand Based on RAPD Analysis. In "Mungbean Germplasm : Collection, Evaluation and Utilization for Breeding Program" JIRCAS Working Report No.2. pp.31-40. Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Science (JIRCAS), Japan.
Whyte,R.O., Nilsson-Leissner,G. and Trumble,H.C. 1953. Legumes in Agriculture. FAO Agricultural Studies 21, FAO, Rome, Italy.