As recorded for Abai
Canavalia ensiformis
Abai / Sword Bean अबई
Marathi name · See all regional names ↓
Also known as Jack Bean, Broad Bean, Patagonian Bean
- Habit
- Undershrub
- Found in India
- Maharashtra, Arunachal Pradesh, Tamil Nadu & more
- Flowering
- August-March
Abai in regional languages
Find the name you know, then compare it with the botanical profile. Columns list recorded aliases; they are not paired translations. A Latin spelling appears only when it is present in the source record.
| Language | Regional script | Recorded Latin spelling |
|---|---|---|
| Kannada | Not recorded | Tamate balli |
| Marathi | अबई | Abai |
See the original recorded names
- Kannada
- Tamate balli
- Marathi
- अबई Abai, अबई
Ecology & growing context
- Native status · Kew WCVP
- WCVP records it as introduced in Andaman Is., Assam, India, Nicobar Is., West Himalaya Kew dataset ↗
Kew WCVP dataset; accepted-name match. Dataset matching is separate from an individual regional review. Recorded worldwide native range: Trop. & Subtrop. America.
- Explore nearby plants
- Maharashtra →Arunachal Pradesh →Tamil Nadu →
Occurrence records show where a plant has been recorded; they do not establish that it is native there. Compare local habitat and growing conditions when choosing plants for a garden.
How to identify Abai
Identify Abai by combining habit, leaf characters, flower or fruit details, location, and its family pattern. Do not rely on one feature alone.
- Look for a undershrub habit.
- Check the distinctive field mark: Very large flattened edible pods (jack bean).
- Confirm leaf type: Trifoliate (three leaflets).
- Confirm leaf surface: Glabrous (smooth, hairless).
- Confirm flower colour: Purple.
- Confirm fruit surface: Smooth.
- In season, compare flowering and fruiting time: August-March.
Plant Details
- Scientific name
- Canavalia ensiformis
- Genus
- Canavalia
- Family
- Fabaceae
- Habit
- Undershrub
- Distribution
- Pantropical
- Found in India
- Maharashtra, Arunachal Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand
- Flowering & fruiting
- August-March
- Conservation status
- Not Evaluated (NE)
Leaf characters
- Leaf type
- Trifoliate (three leaflets)recorded
- Leaf surface
- Glabrous (smooth, hairless)recorded
Typical of the family
Characters marked “recorded” are for Abai itself; the rest are typical of the Fabaceae family.
Flower & fruit characters
- Flower colour
- PurplerecordedPurple or violet
- Fruit surface
- SmoothrecordedSmooth, unornamented surface.
Typical of the family
- Inflorescence
- Raceme
- Fruit
- Legume
Characters marked “recorded” are for Abai itself; the rest are typical of the Fabaceae family — flowering plants only.
About Abai
A member of the Fabaceae family, Sword Bean (Canavalia ensiformis) is a low shrub. In India it has been recorded in Maharashtra, Arunachal Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and 1 other states. Flowering and fruiting run from August to March.
Uses
Locally it is planted as an ornamental and harvested for fodder. Parts of this plant are reported as poisonous — treat it as unsafe to eat and wash your hands after handling.
Fabaceae
Legume/Bean family
Abai belongs to the Fabaceae family.
The illustration represents the family — not necessarily this exact species.
Explore the Fabaceae familySnap it. Know it.
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Common plant problems
If you are starting from symptoms instead of a diagnosis, use the plant disease symptom checker to narrow the cause before treating.
All plant problem & care guides