Definition

Noun: A twining herb (Dolichos biflorus, also placed in the genus Vigna) native to the Old World tropics, cultivated in India for its edible seeds and as fodder for livestock. It is a leguminous plant known for its small, grayish-brown seeds.

Usage

• is valued in traditional Indian agriculture.
• The seeds of are used in various culinary preparations.
• Farmers cultivate both for human consumption and as animal feed.

Advanced Usage

• Scientific Classification: The plant is sometimes referred to by its synonym subsp. in botanical contexts, highlighting its taxonomic relationship to other legumes like the cowpea.
• Common Names: In regional languages and agricultural contexts, it is often called "horse gram," "kulthi bean," or "madras gram."

Variants and Related Words

• Horse gram (n): The most common English name for the seeds and the plant .
• Kulthi (n): A common name for this legume in India.
• Macrotyloma uniflorum (n): A later taxonomic synonym sometimes used in scientific literature.

Synonyms

• Horse gram
• Kulthi bean
• Madras gram

Related Terms

• Legume (n): The broader family of plants to which belongs, characterized by seed pods.
• Pulse (n): The edible seeds harvested from leguminous plants, such as those from .
• Fodder crop (n): A crop grown primarily to feed livestock, one of the uses of .

Noun

1. twining herb of Old World tropics cultivated in India for food and fodder; sometimes placed in genus Dolichos