Plants
Brazilian jack bean
Canavalia brasiliensis Mart. ex Benth.
Family: Fabaceae · Genus: Canavalia
wild jackbean
Annual nitrogen-fixing legume native to Brazil, cousin of feijão-de-porco. Listed in Embrapa CT-16 Tabela 1 as a cover crop alongside crotalarias and feijão-de-porco. Tolerates poor soils and prolonged drought well.
Götsch succession
- Götsch stage
- Placenta I
- Ecological role
- Pioneer
- Primary stratum
- Low
- Strata
- Low, Ground cover
- Biomass class
- Fertilizer biomass
Environment
- Light requirement
- Full sun
- Water requirement
- Low
- Drought tolerance
- High
- Soil pH range
- 4.3–8
- Preferred soil texture
- Sandy, Loamy, Clayey
Morphology
- Mature height
- 0.5–1.5 m
- Root system
- Taproot
- Root depth
- Deep
- Growth rate
- Very fast
- Lifespan
- ≤ 1 year
- Time to first harvest
- 4 months
Biomes & climate
- Caatinga Native
- Cerrado Native
- Atlantic Forest Suitable
Köppen classes
- Hot semi-arid (BSh) Suitable
- Tropical savanna with dry winter (Aw) Suitable
Where it fits in a guild
Brazilian jack bean takes the Low stratum in the Placenta I phase of succession — in a guild it shares the line with species from the other strata, each harvesting light at its own height, in its own time. It also fixes nitrogen, feeding the soil for its line neighbors.
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❓ Frequently asked questions
How long until the first harvest of Brazilian jack bean?
The first harvest of Brazilian jack bean comes around 4 months after planting.
How tall does Brazilian jack bean grow?
At maturity, Brazilian jack bean reaches 0.5–1.5 m tall.
What stage and stratum does Brazilian jack bean occupy in a syntropic system?
In a syntropic system, Brazilian jack bean belongs to the placenta i stage, occupying the low stratum.
Does Brazilian jack bean fix nitrogen?
Yes — Brazilian jack bean is a nitrogen-fixing species that helps fertilize the system's soil.
Functions
Propagation
Seed
Citations
- Armando, Bueno, Alves & Cavalcante (2002) — Agrofloresta para Agricultura Familiar (Embrapa Circular Técnica 16), Tabela 1 , p. 3 (gotsch_stage, biomass_class, nitrogen_fixer)
- Tropical Forages — Canavalia brasiliensis (ph_min, ph_max, drought_tolerance, root_system, root_depth, water_need, time_to_first_harvest_months, soil_texture_preference, growth_rate)
- Peters et al. (CIAT) — Canavalia brasiliensis, a multipurpose legume for the sub-humid tropics (deep-rooting drought resistance) (root_depth, drought_tolerance)
- GBIF — Canavalia brasiliensis Mart. ex Benth. (accepted, key 2962154) (external_ids)
External references
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