Metcalfe bean facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Metcalfe bean |
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Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Fabales |
| Family: | Fabaceae |
| Genus: | Phaseolus |
| Species: |
P. maculatus
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| Binomial name | |
| Phaseolus maculatus Scheele
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| Synonyms | |
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Phaseolus maculatus (also known as the Metcalfe bean, prairie bean, or spotted bean) is a type of plant that grows naturally in Mexico and the southwestern United States. You can find it in states like Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas. This bean plant likes dry, rocky hillsides, open meadows, and wooded areas. It usually grows at high elevations, from about 1,500 to 2,400 meters (5,000 to 8,000 feet) above sea level.
What is the Metcalfe Bean?
P. maculatus is a plant that lives for many years. This means it is a perennial plant. It has long stems that spread out along the ground. This is why it is called a trailing herb. It also has a big, strong main root called a taproot that grows deep into the soil.
What the Plant Looks Like
The leaves of the Metcalfe bean are special. Each leaf is made of three smaller leaflets. This is why they are called trifoliate leaves. These oval-shaped leaflets can grow up to 8 centimeters (about 3.2 inches) long. They have tiny, hooked hairs on them. The leaves often stand upright instead of lying flat on the ground.
The flowers of this plant are a pretty purple color. The seeds inside the bean pods are also interesting. They have a mix of black and brown colors, which makes them look mottled or spotted.
How People Use the Metcalfe Bean
This bean plant is quite useful. Farmers often use it as food for their animals, like cows or goats. This type of food is called forage.
The Metcalfe bean is also important for other bean plants. Scientists use it to find ways to make other beans, like the lima bean, stronger. It can help them resist diseases.
The Tarahumara people, who live in the Sierra Madre mountains of Chihuahua, Mexico, use this plant in special ways. They use the roots of the plant for medicine. They also make a type of glue from the plant's shoots. Sometimes, people even grow the Metcalfe bean just because its flowers and leaves look nice in a garden.
