tepary bean

American  

[tep-uh-ree] / ˈtɛp ə ri /

noun

1. a twining or bushy plant, Phaseolus acutifolius latifolius, of the legume family, native to Mexico and Arizona, having white or violet-colored flowers, grown as a food plant in dry regions.

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Etymology

Origin of tepary bean

An Americanism dating back to 1910–15; origin uncertain

Example Sentences

Underutilized and hardy crops like the tepary bean could help diversify food production, said Richard Pratt, a plant scientist and professor at New Mexico State University.

From Salon • Dec. 14, 2023

After seven days in the desert scrubland, the scientists left with a sample of nature's bounty: wild tepary bean plants.

From Salon • Dec. 14, 2023

Indigenous communities in the Sonoran Desert have cultivated the tiny, drought-tolerant tepary bean for millennia.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 5, 2022

And tepary bean has to be grown in the wild.

From Salon • Dec. 12, 2021

That if you domesticate a tepary bean and you plant it in the farm, it's not going to be as healthy as it is if it's grown in the wild.

From Salon • Dec. 12, 2021