Canavalia virosa (Roxb.) Wight & Arn.

 
  • Family : FABACEAE
    (Pea Or Bean Family)
  • Family (Hindi name) : PALASH FAMILY (पलाश फैमिली)
  • Family (as per The APG System III) : Fabaceae
  • Subfamily : Faboideae
  • Species Name (as per The IPNI) : Canavalia cathartica Thouars.
  • Common name : Wild Sword Bean
  • Vernacular name :
    • Sem (Hindi)
    • Kadavare (Kannada)
    • Kattuthammatai (Tamil)
    • Karu tamma, Adavi-thamba (Telugu)
    • Mohra, Mohrhorha, Bahara, Kalasimo (Oria)
  • Habit : Climber
  • Habitat : Open forests
  • Comments / notes : Occasional in plains to 300m and in scrub jungles on thickets and hedges. Pods thoughout the year. Seeds are poisonous
  • Flower, Fruit : October-September
  • Distribution :
    • Andhra Pradesh : Srikakulam district, West Godavari district
    • Odisha : Cuttack district, Kendujhar district, Bargarh district, Puri district, Ganjam district, Angul district, Khordha district
    • Tamil Nadu : Dharmapuri district, Salem district, Tiruchirapalli district
  • Native : India, Sri Lanka
  • World Distribution : India, Sri Lanka
  • Conservation Status : Not Evaluated (NE)
  • Literature :
    • H.O. Saxena & M. Brahmam, 1994- Flora of Orissa Vol. 1
    • R. S. Rao et al., 1986 - Flora of West Godavari District
    • R. S. Rao and S. H. Sreeramulu, 1986 - Flora of Srikakulam District
    • N.P.Singh, 1988. Flora of Eastern Karnataka
    • Matthew, K.M., Flora of Tamil Nadu Carnatic, Vol.3 (1). Diocesan Press, Madras. 1983
    • Henry, Kumari & Chithra (1983). Flora of Tamil Nadu, India vol. 1.
  • Read more :
  • Permalink : http://indiaflora-ces.iisc.ac.in/plants.php?name=Canavalia virosa
  • Citation : Sankara Rao, K., Deepak Kumar (2025). India Flora Online. http://indiaflora-ces.iisc.ac.in/plants.php?name=Canavalia virosa. Downloaded on 31 December 2025.

Botanical Description

Herbarium Specimen(s)

Field Image(s)

Distribution District wise

India Distribution

World Distribution

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