I posted the flowers recently on the group at http://groups.google.co.in/group/indiantreepix/browse_thread/thread/ce034cb164b21cc3 #
Here are relevant extracts from Wikipedia link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mucuna_pruriens *Mucuna pruriens* bears white, lavender, or purple flowers<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flower>. Its seed pods are about 10 cm long[1]<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mucuna_pruriens#cite_note-R.C3.A4tsch-0>and are covered in loose orange hairs that cause a severe itch if they come in contact with skin. The chemical compounds responsible for the itch are a protein, mucunain <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mucunain>,[1]<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mucuna_pruriens#cite_note-R.C3.A4tsch-0>and serotonin <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serotonin>. The seeds are shiny black or brown drift seeds <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drift_seed>. It is found in tropical Africa <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Africa>, India<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India>and the Caribbean <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caribbean>. *Mucuna pruriens* is sometimes used as a coffee substitute called "Nescafe" (not to be confused with the commercial brand). Cooked fresh shoots or beans can also be eaten. This requires that they be soaked from at least 30 minutes to 48 hours in advance of cooking, or the water changed up to several times during cooking, since otherwise the plant can be toxic to humans. The above described process leaches out chemical compounds such as levodopa <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Levodopa>, making the product suitable for consumption. If consumed in large quantities as food, unprocessed *Mucuna pruriens* is toxic to nonruminant<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruminant>mammals including humans. 2008/12/23 Yazdy Palia <[email protected]> > > Hi friends, > I do not remember if it turns out brown in the end but I have eaten a > beans quite like it. It releases a die when immersed in water after > cutting, however it is quite nice when coocked the beans is quite > fleshy. I do not know the name. > Madhuri's remark that it itches is not true in case of this beans. > However there is a wild climber which produces a similar bean and when > the beans are mature they explode in order to distribute the seeds and > at the time of the bursting of the pod, the hair like follicles is > carried by the wind to quite some distances and if one touches these > follicles the skin really itches. Once again I do not know the name. > > regards > Yazdy Palia. > > On Tue, Dec 23, 2008 at 4:17 PM, Madhuri Pejaver <[email protected]> > wrote: > > > > in marathi called as khajkuyali because there is horible itch you get if > you touch the pod. > > covering the pod are lot of hair which if touch to the body it starts > itching all over. > > sometimes in movei it is shown the students making fun of the teacher by > spreading some powder on the chair, it is the same . > > i am not sure but it has some medicinal value. > > as somebody has written to make some curry out of it it will be a life > time experience. but just as knowledge i wont mind knowing it > > madhuri > > > > > > --- On Tue, 12/23/08, vivek gharpure <[email protected]> wrote: > > > >> From: vivek gharpure <[email protected]> > >> Subject: [indiantreepix:6695] re:pods > >> To: "Indiantreepix" <[email protected]> > >> Date: Tuesday, December 23, 2008, 8:18 AM > >> Brown colored pods growing on a vine. > >> > >> At daulatabad, india > >> > >> > >> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > -- With regards, J.M.Garg "We often ignore the beauty around us" Creating Awareness about Indian Flora & Fauna: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Jmgarg1 For learning about our trees & plants, please visit/ join Google e-group (Indiantreepix) http://groups.google.co.in/group/indiantreepix?hl=en --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "indiantreepix" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.co.in/group/indiantreepix?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
