Black gram
Vigna mungo (L.) Hepper
Vigna mungo (L.) Hepper, known as black gram, is a species in the Fabaceae family. It is cultivated in South Asia and other regions, including parts of Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific. The plant was first described in 1956 and belongs to the genus Vigna. Black gram is commonly sold as a whole bean, while the split version is referred to as white lentil. It is distinct from the smaller true black lentil.
Description
Vigna mungo is a legume species native to and cultivated in regions such as South Asia, Africa, and Southeast Asia. The plant is part of the Fabaceae family and was reclassified from the genus Phaseolus to Vigna. Black gram is a key ingredient in various cuisines, particularly in South Asia. The whole bean is known as black gram, while the split and dehusked form is called white lentil. The species has a broad distribution and is grown in countries like India, Bangladesh, and parts of Africa. The original type material for Vigna mungo appears to be missing, and a neotype may be required for taxonomic clarity. The plant has been documented in botanical literature since 1956.
Other common names
Black gram
Distribution
AO · AU · BR · JP · conterminous 48 United States · Andaman Is. · Angola · Assam · Bangladesh · Bismarck Archipelago · Cameroon · Caroline Is. · Central African Repu · Christmas I. · East Himalaya · Fiji · Gabon · India · Malaya · Marianas · Maryland · Mexico Southeast · Myanmar · Nepal · New Guinea · Pakistan · Sri Lanka · Tanzania · Trinidad-Tobago · Vietnam
Synonyms
Phaseolus hirtusAzukia mungoPhaseolus mungoPhaseolus hernandeziiPhaseolus roxburghiiRudua mungoPhaseolus minoomooPhaseolus pisiformisPhaseolus glabrescensPhaseolus viridissimusPhaseolus subvolubilisPhaseolus wightianusAzukia muogoPhaseolus chlorospermusPhaseolus aureusVigna silvestrisVigna mungo var. silvestrisPhaseolus gibbosusPhaseolus hernandesii var. longepedunculatus
