Phaseolus vulgaris Linn. (RAJAMASA)

Masa and rajamasa are described in the samhitas as well as in the nighantus.  Caraka (C.S.Su.27/24) and vagbhata (A.H.Su.6/19) quoted it as rajamasa while susruta quoted it as alasandra (S.S.SU.46/35).  Alasandra is identified as Vigna cylindrica Skeels by Thakur Balwant Singhji. Phaseolus unguiculata (Linn.) Walp is also considered as rajamasa by some scholars.  Author is of the opinion that basing on the existing practices, P. vulgaris should be considered as rajamasa.  In this context author documents his experience during his stay and travel extensively in north India.  He noticed that two pulses udad (masa) and rajma (rajamasa) are repeatedly used in north India for making the dal routinely.  If other variety of dal is required one should demand for ‘pele dal’ [adhaki (Red gram) or canaka (Bengal gram).

Botanical Description – Highly polymorphic species; annual herb, erect and bushy, 20–60 cm tall, or twining with stems 2–3 m long; with a taproot and nitrogenous nodules; (although the germinating bean has a tap root, adventitious roots usually emerge 1–2 days after germination, to dominate the tap root which remains 10–15 cm long); leaves alternate, green or purple, trifoliolate, stipulate, petiolate, a marked pulvinus at base; leaflets ovate, entire; acuminate, 6–15 cm long, 3–11 cm wide; flowers in lax, axillary few-flowered (12) racemes, zygomorphic, variegated, white, pink, or purplish, ca 1 cm long; pods slender, green, yellow, black, or purple, cylindrical or flat, 8–20 cm long, 1–1.5 cm wide; seeds 4–6-(12), usually glabrous, sometimes puberulent, beak prominent; seeds white, red, tan, purple, grey or black, often variegated, reniform, oblong or globose, up to 1.5 cm long, endosperm absent; 100 seeds weigh 10–67 g, depending on cv; germination phanerocotylar.