Phaseolus vulgaris
| Phaseolus vulgaris | |
|---|---|
A flat-podded variety of the common bean
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Fabales |
| Family: | Fabaceae |
| Subfamily: | Faboideae |
| Genus: | Phaseolus |
| Species: | P. vulgaris
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| Binomial name | |
| Phaseolus vulgaris | |
| Synonyms | |
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Phaseolus vulgaris, the common bean, is a herbaceous annual plant. Its botanical classification, along with other Phaseolus species, is as a member of the legume family, Fabaceae. It forms a green-leaved vine which produces beans inside of pods.
The common bean has a long history of cultivation. All wild members of the species have a climbing habit, but many cultivars are classified either as bush beans or climbing beans, depending on their style of growth. In 2022, 28 million tonnes of dry common beans were produced worldwide, led by India with 23% of the total.
Raw dry beans contain the toxic compound phytohaemagglutinin, which can be deactivated by boiling the beans for 30 minutes. In addition to the beans, the unripe green pods are used for food. The leaf is occasionally used as a vegetable and the straw as fodder.