Pueraria montana var. Lobata (syn. P. lobata)

Vasilis Teodoridis:

5. Pueraria montana (Loureiro) Merrill; Trans. Amer. Philos. Soc.; ser. 2. 24(2): 10; 210. 1935.

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Robust climbers; with tuberous roots. Stems to 8 m; woody at base; hirsute with yellowish hairs in all parts. Stipules dorsi­fixed; ovate-oblong; striate; stipels linear-lanceolate; equal to petiolules or longer; leaflets 3-lobed; rarely entire; terminal one broadly ovate; 7-15(-19) x 5-12(-18) cm; apex acuminate; lat­eral ones obliquely ovate; smaller; with yellowish adpressed hairs adaxially; more densely hairy abaxially. Racemes 15-30 cm. Flowers 2 or 3 aggregated at nodes. Bracts linear-lanceolate to linear; shorter or longer than bracteoles; caducous; bracteoles ovate; less than 2 mm. Calyx 7-20 mm; villous with yellow-brown hairs; lobes lanceolate; acuminate; slightly longer than tube. Corolla purple; standard obovate; 8-18 mm; auriculate and with yellow callosities at base; shortly clawed; wings fal­cate; narrower than keel; base with linear auricles; keel falcate-oblong; with very small and acute auricles. Vexillary stamen free in upper part. Ovary linear; hairy. Legumes long elliptic; 4-14 cm x 6-13 mm; flattened; brown hirsute. Fl. Jul-Oct; fr. Oct-Dec.

Mountain forests; thickets; open places. Everywhere in China ex­cept Qinghai; Xinjiang; and Xizang [SE Asia to Australia].

This plant is commonly known as kudzu vine.

5b. Pueraria montana var. lobata (Willdenow) Maesen & S. M. Almeida ex Sanjappa & Predeep in Sanjappa; Legumes India. 288. 1992.

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Dolichos lobatus Willdenow; Sp. Pl. 3: 1047. 1802; D. hirsutus Thunberg; Neustanthus chinensis Bentham; Pachy­rhizus thunbergianus Siebold & Zuccarini; Pueraria argyi H. Léveillé & Vaniot; P. bodinieri H. Léveillé & Vaniot; P. caeru­lea H. Léveillé & Vaniot; P. koten H. Léveillé & Vaniot; P. lo­bata (Willdenow) Ohwi; P. lobata var. chinensis (Bentham) Ohwi; P. montana var. chinensis (Bentham) Maesen & S. M. Almeida ex Sanjappa & Predeep; P. thunbergiana (Siebold & Zuccarini) Bentham.

Calyx 8-10 mm. Standard obovate; 10-12 mm; wings subequal to keel. Legumes 5-9 cm x 8-11 mm.

Mountain forests or cultivated. Everywhere in China except Qing­hai; Xinjiang; and Xizang [SE Asia to Australia; also introduced in Afri­ca; America; and Europe].

This taxon is used medicinally and as edible tubers; a cover crop; and fodder.