All Topics  
Runner bean

 
Runner Bean

 
   Email Print
   Bookmark   Link
 

 

Runner bean
 
 
  Topics Runner bean Topic Home

The runner bean (Phaseolus
Phaseolus

Phaseolus is a genus in the family Fabaceae of about fifty plant species, all native to the Americas.At least four of the species have been domestication since pre-Columbian times for their beans....
 coccineus, Fabaceae
Fabaceae

Fabaceae or Leguminosae is a large and economically important family of flowering plants, which is commonly known as the legume family, pea family, bean family or pulse family....
) is often called the scarlet runner bean since most varieties have red flower
Flower

A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproduction structure found in flowering plants . The biological function of a flower is to mediate the union of male sperm with female ovum in order to produce seeds....
s and multicolored seeds
SEEDS

SEEDS is a voluntary organisation registered under the Societies Act of India.SEEDS was formed in 1994 as an informal group of students and pedagogues of the School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi, whose common interests brought them together and made them carry human habitat environment related exercises beyond set academic target...
, though some have white flowers and white seeds. It differs from the common bean
Common bean

The common bean, Phaseolus vulgaris, is an herbaceous annual plant domesticated independently in ancient Mesoamerica and the Andes, and now grown worldwide for its edible bean, popular both dry and as a green bean....
 in several respects: the cotyledon
Cotyledon

A cotyledon is a significant part of the embryo within the seed of a plant. Upon germination, the cotyledon may become the embryonic first leaf of a seedling....
s stay in the ground during germination
Germination

Germination is the process whereby growth emerges from a period of dormancy. The most common example of germination is the sprouting of a seedling from a seed of an flowering plant or gymnosperm....
, and the plant is a perennial
Perennial plant

A perennial plant or perennial is a plant that lives for more than two years. When used by gardeners or horticulturalists, this term applies specifically to perennial herbaceous plants....
 with tuberous root
Root

In vascular plants, the root is the organ of a plant body that typically lies below the surface of the soil. This is not always the case, however, since a root can also be aerial root or aerating ....
s (though it is usually treated as an annual).

The green pods are edible whole but in some varieties (the scarlet runner) tend to become fibrous early, and only the seeds within are eaten.






Discussion
Ask a question about 'Runner bean'
Start a new discussion about 'Runner bean'
Answer questions from other users
Full Discussion Forum



Recent Posts

What is the best bean for not going stringy qickly?








Encyclopedia


The runner bean (Phaseolus
Phaseolus

Phaseolus is a genus in the family Fabaceae of about fifty plant species, all native to the Americas.At least four of the species have been domestication since pre-Columbian times for their beans....
 coccineus, Fabaceae
Fabaceae

Fabaceae or Leguminosae is a large and economically important family of flowering plants, which is commonly known as the legume family, pea family, bean family or pulse family....
) is often called the scarlet runner bean since most varieties have red flower
Flower

A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproduction structure found in flowering plants . The biological function of a flower is to mediate the union of male sperm with female ovum in order to produce seeds....
s and multicolored seeds
SEEDS

SEEDS is a voluntary organisation registered under the Societies Act of India.SEEDS was formed in 1994 as an informal group of students and pedagogues of the School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi, whose common interests brought them together and made them carry human habitat environment related exercises beyond set academic target...
, though some have white flowers and white seeds. It differs from the common bean
Common bean

The common bean, Phaseolus vulgaris, is an herbaceous annual plant domesticated independently in ancient Mesoamerica and the Andes, and now grown worldwide for its edible bean, popular both dry and as a green bean....
 in several respects: the cotyledon
Cotyledon

A cotyledon is a significant part of the embryo within the seed of a plant. Upon germination, the cotyledon may become the embryonic first leaf of a seedling....
s stay in the ground during germination
Germination

Germination is the process whereby growth emerges from a period of dormancy. The most common example of germination is the sprouting of a seedling from a seed of an flowering plant or gymnosperm....
, and the plant is a perennial
Perennial plant

A perennial plant or perennial is a plant that lives for more than two years. When used by gardeners or horticulturalists, this term applies specifically to perennial herbaceous plants....
 with tuberous root
Root

In vascular plants, the root is the organ of a plant body that typically lies below the surface of the soil. This is not always the case, however, since a root can also be aerial root or aerating ....
s (though it is usually treated as an annual).

The green pods are edible whole but in some varieties (the scarlet runner) tend to become fibrous early, and only the seeds within are eaten. The seeds can be used fresh or as dried beans. The starchy roots are still eaten by Central American Indians. The scarlet runner is widely grown for its attractive flowers by people who would never think of eating it.

Runner beans contain traces of a poisonous lectin
Lectin

Lectins are sugar-binding proteins which are highly specific for their sugar moieties. They typically play a role in biological recognition phenomena involving cells and proteins....
, Phytohaemagglutinin
Phytohaemagglutinin

Phytohaemagglutinin is a lectin found in plants, especially beans. PHA actually consists of two closely related proteins, called Leucoagglutinin and PHA-E....
, and hence must be thoroughly cooked before consumption.

Scarlett Runner Bean Flower
This species originated from the mountains of Central America
Central America

Central America is a central geography region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmus portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast....
.

Phaseolus coccineus subsp. darwinianus is a cultivated subspecies of P. coccineus, it is commonly referred to as the Botil bean in Mexico
Mexico

The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federalism constitutionalism republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of Mexico....
.

Varieties


  • Enorma
  • Scarlet Runner
  • Aztec Half-Runner, also called "Potato bean"
  • White Dutch Runner
  • Case Knife
  • Black Runner
  • Painted Lady
  • Hammond's Dwarf
  • Lady Di
  • Pickwick Dwarf
  • Riley
  • Scarlet Emperor
  • Sun Bright
  • White Lady
  • Wisley Magic
  • White Swan