Common Name: Island Bean

General Information

Oxyrhynchus volubilis is a herbaceous perennial climbing plant with twining stems that scramble over the ground and climb into the surrounding vegetation for support.
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food.
Oxyrhynchus volubilis appears to be widespread in its natural range, it is known to occur within the protected area network and there are no major threats to the species at present, therefore the population is believed to be stable . The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Southern N. America - Texas, eastern Mexico; Caribbean - Cuba, Bahamas

Habitat

Mattoral and secondary vegetation; at elevations from 330 - 640 metres[].

Properties

Conservation Status	Least Concern
Edibility Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Perennial Climber
Height	0.00 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Oxyrhynchus volubilis is native from the warm temperate zone of southern USA to the tropics of eastern Mexico and the Caribbean.

This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria called Rhizobia. These bacteria form nodules on the roots of the plants and fix atmospheric nitrogen, plants may fail to flourish due to the absence of the appropriate Rhizobium species. Some of the nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[].

Edible Uses

Seed - cooked[]. The seedpods are 4 - 6cm long, 2 - 3cm wide and 1 - 2cm thick, containing 2 - 3 seeds 10 - 15mm long and 10 - 14mm in diameter[].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

The seeds are used as marbles in children's games[].

Propagation

Seed -