velvet bean

American  

noun

1. a vine, Mucuna deeringiana, of the legume family, having long clusters of purplish flowers and densely hairy pods, grown in warm regions for forage or as an ornamental.

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Etymology

Origin of velvet bean

An Americanism dating back to 1895–1900

Example Sentences

The importance of the velvet bean to the live stock industry now developing in the South can scarcely be over-estimated.

From Florida: An Ideal Cattle State by Association, Florida State Live Stock

This year the velvet bean has been no small factor in helping out the great shortage of foodstuffs, quantities of them having been shipped to Texas.

From Florida: An Ideal Cattle State by Association, Florida State Live Stock

In spite of vigorous search, the native home of the Florida velvet bean yet remains unknown, but it is probably in the Indo-Malayan region of Southern Asia.

From Florida: An Ideal Cattle State by Association, Florida State Live Stock

The story of the velvet bean is really one of the romances of agriculture.

From Florida: An Ideal Cattle State by Association, Florida State Live Stock

These early varieties immensely increased the area over which the velvet bean can be grown, so that now it embraces practically all of the cotton belt.

From Florida: An Ideal Cattle State by Association, Florida State Live Stock