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

He mentions the velvet bean, which contains high concentrations of a precursor to dopamine.

From The Guardian

In Zimbabwe, some farmers in Mashonaland East province have adapted to the dryer weather by growing drought-resistant feed for their livestock, such as cowpea or velvet beans, alongside maize, the region’s staple crop.

From Reuters

Future issues will treat such subjects as cowpeas, soy beans, peanuts, velvet beans, rice, sugar, cane, silos, feeds and feeding, weeds, insects, etc.

From Project Gutenberg

Under certain conditions the cattleman may have to utilize one or more of these crops, but corn and velvet beans is the one that is the most important.

From Project Gutenberg

On fairly good land this will be sufficient, but on poorer ground the land should be continued in cultivation another year, sowing it down in beggarweed, cowpeas, soja beans, or velvet beans.

From Project Gutenberg