Kola simbi is not mentioned by brhat trayi. Nighantu period introduced simbidvaya which consists of simbi as well as kola simbi. These appear to be plants introduced by Arabs during invasion. Dhanvantari nighantu, Sodhala nighantu, Kaiyadeva nighantu and Raja nighantu did not mention kola simbi. But we find both the varieties in Madanapala nighantu as well as Bhavaprakasa nighantu. Kola simbi is identified as C. gladiata. Canavalia gladiata, is a domesticated plant species in the legume (Fabaceae) family. The fruits are eaten as a vegetable in Africa and Asia. The genus Canavalia in the large legume family(Fabaceae), comprises approximately 70-75 species of tropical origin. They are commonly known as jack-beans. Several species are valued legume crops, including Common Jack-bean (C. ensiformis), Sword Bean (C. gladiata) and Canavalia cathartica. The Common Jack-bean is also known as the plant from which Concanavalin A was described. This lectin is of major commercial importance as a reagent in glycoprotein biochemistry and immunology. Bay Bean (Canavalia rosea) supposedly can act as a mild psychoactive when smoked; it is used in tobacco substitutes.
Botanical Description – It is a perennial leguminous crop mainly cultivated in tropical and warm temperate Asia as an annual crop. Leaves are shiny. Pod becomes 30cm long and 5cm wide. It contains 10-14 seeds. Seeds are elliptical and reaches 3cm long.
Sword bean belongs to the subgenus Canavalia in the genus Canavalia. The genus Canavalia consists of 4 genera with 51 species (Smartt 1990). There are two varieties, i.e., var.gladiata with reddish seed and flower and var.alba with white seed and flower. Westphal (1974) proposed that jack bean (C.ensiformis (L.) DC.) in the New World and oblique-seeded jack bean (C.plagiospermus Piper) should be treated as a single species together with sword bean.
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