Entada gigas
(sea-bean)

Preferred Scientific Name

• Entada gigas (L.) Fawc. & Rendle

Preferred Common Name

• sea-bean

Other Scientific Names

• Entada gigalobium DC.
• Entada planoseminata (De Wild.) G.C.C.Gilbert & Boutique
• Entada scandens (L.) Benth.
• Entada umbonata Boutique
• Mimosa gigas L.
• Mimosa scandens L.

International Common Names

• English: monkey ladder; nicker-bean; sea heart
• French: coeur de la mer
• Portuguese: coração-do-mar; fava-do-mar
• Thai: saba

Local Common Names

• : molucca bean
• Costa Rica: habilla; monkey escalera
• Cuba: boja; cayajabo; guacalote; poa; poa; poja
• Dominican Republic: caracol; chocho; mackay bean; Saint John's bread; samo; sea bean; sea heart; St. Thomas bean; sword bean; water vine; zamo
• Haiti: acacie à grandes gousses; cacorne; liane cacorne
• India: ahakkatela; ahakkatla; anaittellu; anatata; arsi; barabi chian; bidhanta; bor gilla; camputtirappuliyan; chhui; chillu; cillu; doddakampi; entada; garambi; garbe; garbe ghila; gila; gilagach; gila-lewa; gilar lot; gila-tiga; gilatige; gilla; gillatige; gilo; girambi; giridi; haleballi; halle; hallebilu; hallekayiballi ; irikki ; kakkavalli; kakkumkay; karrunari ; karunari; kastorikaman, ; kirancakamirakkoti; kirancakamiram; kurunurari; makkanka; nukkuki; nukkukikkoti; osta; ottolakkoti; ottolam; palleburu; pangra; paranda; paranta; paringakakavully; paringakavalli; parin-kakavalli; peddamadupu; perimkakuvalli; perumancati; perumkakkavalli; perumkakkavalli; peruntellu; peyarttavakkoti; peyarttavam; puswel; shuri; sillu; sue budu; taktokhyem; tandramanu; tel; tellu; tellukkoti; tikativva; vattavalli; viccali; viccalittellu; yanaittellu
• Indonesia/Java: bendoh
• Jamaica: cacoon; cacoon
• Lesser Antilles: liane boeuf; liane oua-oua; liane-boeuf
• Malaysia: sentok
• Nepal: pangra
• Nigeria: aagbaa
• Philippines: balonos; balugo; barugo; bayogo; bayugo; gogo
• Portugal: fava de colom
• Spain: heart sea
• Sri Lanka: pus-wel
• Sudan: charivu
• Uruguay: lives of luck
• USA: sea heart

• Domain: Eukaryota
•     Kingdom: Plantae
•         Phylum: Spermatophyta
•             Subphylum: Angiospermae
•                 Class: Dicotyledonae
•                     Order: Fabales
•                         Family: Fabaceae
•                             Subfamily: Mimosoideae
•                                 Genus: Entada
•                                     Species: Entada gigas

The legume family Fabaceae is the third largest family of flowering plants with more than 18,000 described species. This family consists of three subfamilies: Caesalpinieae, Mimosoideae, and Papilionoideae. Entada is a genus of the subfamily Mimosoideae, consisting of some 30 species of  lianas and scandent shrubs or subshrubs distributed in tropical and subtropical regions (Nielsen, 1981; Nielsen et al., 1992; ILDIS, 2005).

There is still some confusion regarding the taxonomy of Entada species as a result of which the vernacular is also not settled, and some of the names listed may be applicable to other species.

According to Williams (2012) and Missouri Botanical Garden (2016), E. gigas is a synonym of E. phaseoloides. However, both are recognized as separate species by GBIF (2020), POWO (2020) and World Flora Online (2020).

E. gigas is a species of flowering liana notable for having the family's largest seed pods, measuring 12 cm across, reaching up to 2 m in length (Kaplan, 1988). This species, popularly known as lucky bean, is believed to have inspired Columbus to explore new lands in the west. In parts of the Azores, E. gigas is known as "fava de colom", which translates to Columbus Bean. High above the forest floor, E. gigas provides pathways through the trees for species like snakes, lizards and monkeys. For this reason, it is also known as ‘monkey ladder’ in many regions (Arthur, 2012).

The following description is based on that given by Brenan (1970).

Large liana up to 25 m. high, unarmed; young branchlets subglabrous to puberulous or sometimes pubescent. Rhachis of leaves with (1)2 pairs of pinnae, and ending in a forked tendril; leaflets (3)4(5) pairs, 1.8-8 x 0.8-4 cm, elliptic to obovate-elliptic, often asymmetric, emarginate at the obtuse or rounded apex, glabrous above except for the puberulous midrib, glabrous also beneath except near the base of the leaflet and (sometimes) for some pubescence along the midrib. Spike-like racemes arising from the stem c. 3-5 mm. above the leaf-axils, solitary, 8-25 cm. long, ± pubescent, on a peduncle 1.5-6 cm. long; pedicels 1-1.5(2) mm. long, slender. Flowers creamy to greenish or yellowish. Calyx 1-1.25 mm. long, somewhat puberulous or glabrous, sometimes pubescent. Petals 2·5-3 mm. long. Stamen-filaments 3.5-6 mm. long. Pods gigantic, 40-120 cm. x 7.5-12 cm., less woody than in E. pursaetha, twisted into a single or double lax spiral, with the sides also often twisted; outer layer of pod falling away to expose the thick chartaceous somewhat flexible inner layer. Seeds c. 4-5.5 cm. in diam..

Entada gigas seeds contain a hollow cavity which confers buoyancy. Washed by rain into rivers and then the ocean, the seeds drift long distances on ocean currents from one continent to another. Seed buoyancy and viability lasts at least two years (Loewer, 2005). E. gigas seeds are carried over long distances on the Gulf Stream from the Caribbean regions (Black et al., 2006); this journey starts from Central America across the Atlantic Ocean, reaching European shores every year. Locals have given them different names (Bridgewater, 2012).

Soil drainage

• free

Soil reaction

• acid

Soil texture

• light

Entada gigas produces 1.5-m long seed pods which fragment upon maturity releasing large buoyant seeds which can survive long-distance dispersal in rivers and ocean currents, frequently washing up on coastal areas up to thousands of kilometres from the source plants (Smith, 1999; Perry and Dennis, 2003).

Since E. gigas commonly grows along streams and rivers the seeds are easily dispersed on water. After reaching the sea and ocean the seeds travel across from one continent to another, hence the name ‘sea heart’ (Black et al., 2006). E. gigas are embedded in woody durable pods. The pods fall from the tree into the river and float away. When the pods break open the seeds are easily dispersed in water and can travel long distance across the sea (Attenborough, 1995). E. gigas seeds contain a hollow cavity which confers buoyancy (Loewer, 2005). 

The seeds of E. gigas are also probably dispersed by scatter hoarding rodents (Forget, 1993).

Entada gigas can grow very quickly towards light and has the ability to entangle trees. Caballe (1980) observed in Gabon, an individual E. gigas liana with a stem diameter of over 30 cm that used 13 canopy trees to reach gaps covering a distance of several hundred metres.

On the Comoros Archipelago, on Mayotte and the southern slopes of Mohéli, E. gigas smothers the underlying vegetation through its weight (breaking the trees) and reduces light intensity thereby preventing photosynthesis in the underlying vegetation (Vos, 2004).

Entada gigas is one of the invasive creepers on Mohéli and Mayotte, on the Comoros Archipelago and a threat to the biodiversity of the archipelago. It impacts forest regeneration and structure (Vos, 2004). 

The impact of E. gigas is particularly noticeable in Mayotte and on the southern slopes of Mohéli where the underlying vegetation is smothered as a result of its weight (which breaks the trees) and light intensity is reduced (preventing photosynthesis in the underlying vegetation). Consequently in the long term, there are irreversible impacts on the fauna. For instance, at Nioumachoua on Mohéli, creepers are a direct threat to the resting places and feeding grounds of the bat Pteropus livingstonii, a highly endangered species according to the IUCN (Vos, 2004).

The trees that E. gigas climbs usually have smaller diameter increments, slower height growth, less fruit production, and a high mortality rate (Bongers et al., 2005).

• Proved invasive outside its native range
• Has a broad native range
• Abundant in its native range
• Pioneering in disturbed areas
• Tolerant of shade
• Highly mobile locally
• Fast growing
• Has high reproductive potential
• Has propagules that can remain viable for more than one year

• Ecosystem change/ habitat alteration
• Negatively impacts forestry
• Negatively impacts animal health
• Reduced native biodiversity
• Threat to/ loss of endangered species
• Threat to/ loss of native species

• Highly likely to be transported internationally deliberately

Economic Benefits

Although the seeds of E. gigas are said to be toxic or poisonous these can be consumed following removal of the poison by prolonged soaking and roasting prior to use (Quattrocchi, 2012; Foster et al., 2020).

A study by Ogungbenle and Oyadipe (2015) showed that E. gigas is a potential source of nutrients and should therefore be cultivated and its consumption encouraged, once antinutritional factors are reduced through processing. The high oleic acid content of E. gigas seed oil is useful in the production of soaps, shampoo and cosmetics; the oil may also be used as an emollient for softening the skin, irritation alleviator and laxative (Ogungbenle and Omodara, 2014).

Social Benefits

Many species of Entada are used to promote healing, prevent infections and provide pain relief; just about every part of the plant can be used in the preparation of remedies (Williams, 2012). In India ground seeds are used to treat snake bites, constipation and as a contraceptive (Armstrong, 2020). E. gigas seeds are used to treat diarrhoea in Nigeria (Ariwaodo et al., 2012).  In Cameroon leaf extracts from E. gigas are known for antibacterial properties and used for treating infectious diseases (Fankam et al., 2014). In the Democratic Republic of Congo, boiled leaves are eaten as a relish while the inner bark is used to make very strong rope (Terashima and Ichikawa, 2003). In Gabon, stem bark decoctions are used in the management of diabetes mellitus (Tjeck et al., 2017), diarrhoea and microbial infections (Ariwaodo et al., 2012; Fankam et al., 2014).

The roots and stems of E. gigas have been used as laundry soap and shampoo (Ogungbenle and Omodara, 2014).  

Sailors in England carried sea hearts with them as lucky charms, believing they would protect the wearer during the journey on water. The seeds of E. gigas are painted and sold as lucky pendants in Jamaica (Armstrong, 2020) and are also one of the popular drift seeds used in botanical jewellery (Armstrong, 2020).

In Ghana E. gigas is planted at the village entrance to ward off accidents and misfortune (Brink and Achigan-Dako, 2012)

In India, E. gigas seeds are given to buffalo calves to kill worms (Quattrocchi, 2012).

Environmental Services

Nodulation has been reported for the first time in E. gigas in the primary rainforests of Guinea. This ability to form nitrogen-fixing nodules in symbiosis with rhizobia could play an important role in the restoration of nitrogen-depleted soils, and might be used as priority pioneer species for the rehabilitation of degraded and overexploited rainforests (Diabate et al., 2005).

Leaf, seed and bark extracts in water are toxic to snails (Prakash and rao, 1997).