Phaseolus polystachios (L.) Britton, Sterns & Poggenb.

Nomenclature and Basic Identity

Phaseolus polystachios (L.) Britton, Sterns & Poggenb., commonly called thicket bean or wild kidney bean, is a perennial herbaceous vine native to North America.

Native Range

It is unusual among Phaseolus species because its native range extends across the eastern temperate United States to southeast Canada, while most Phaseolus are native to tropical or subtropical regions.

Taxonomic Placement

It is the namesake of the Polystachios group clade, which is the most species-rich clade within Phaseolus, with 17 total species.

Phylogenetic Relationship

Despite its common name of wild kidney bean, it is more closely related to the lima bean (Phaseolus lunatus).

Crop Wild Relative Value

It has value as a crop wild relative because it carries resistance to white mold caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum.

Habitat

In terms of ecology, Phaseolus polystachios grows on well-drained slopes and soils, typically in woodlands and thickets, and may form colonies.

Herbivory

Weevils extensively feed on its pods.

Archaeological Record

In ethnobotany and uses, remains of Phaseolus polystachios have been recovered from a small number of Native American archaeological sites in Oklahoma and Arkansas, with some evidence of artificial selection for indehiscent, or non-shattering, pods.

Edibility

Reportedly, its fruit and seeds can be prepared and eaten in the same way as cultivated Phaseolus species, although the fruit and seeds of Phaseolus polystachios are smaller.