Fabaceae

Least snoutbean

Rhynchosia minima (L.) DC.

Family: Fabaceae
Genus: Rhynchosia

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Least snoutbean: A vine-like bush, widespread due to edible beans. Photo from Monteverde, Costa Rica. In context at www.dixpix.ca/meso_america/Flora/faboid/index.html — Photo: Dick Culbert from Gibsons, B.C., Canada, CC BY 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons

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Common names

By language (4)

Chinese: 小葉括根, 小鹿藿, 小叶括根, 小花鹿藿, 小鹿霍
English: Least snoutbean
Japanese: ヒメノアズキ
Persian: ناونوکی رونده

Synonyms

Dolicholus minimus (L.) Medik.
Dolichos medicagineus Roxb.
Dolichos minimus L.
Rhynchosia fridericiana sensu Zoll. & Moritzi
Rhynchosia minima var. normalis Kuntze

Characteristics

Growth habit: Forb/herb, Subshrub, Vine
Lifespan: Perennial
In the US and Canada: Hawaii: introduced, Lower 48 states: native, Navassa Island: native, Puerto Rico: native, U.S. Virgin Islands: native

Photos

Photo: Dick Culbert from Gibsons, B.C., Canada, CC BY 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Mark Marathon, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Mark Marathon, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Mark Marathon, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Mark Marathon, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: NMNH, CC0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Len Worthington, CC BY-SA 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: SAplants, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: SAplants, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: M5tama, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: M5tama, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: M108t, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Wikimedia Commons

More in Rhynchosia

Sources: classification, synonyms from World Flora Online Plant List (2026-06, CC0 1.0); common names, popularity from Wikidata (2026-10-26, CC0 1.0); common names, US characteristics from USDA PLANTS Database (2025-05-29, CC0 1.0). About our plant data.