Tepary Bean

tepary bean Phaseolus acutifolius, a relation of the haricot bean, is thought to be a native of C. America. It has a long history in Mexico; Purseglove (1987) states that it was first cultivated there 5,000 years ago. It has also been cultivated in Arizona since times bc. The variety cultivated is var latifolius.

The name may come from the Papago Indian name for bean, pawi. It has been suggested that when the Spaniards asked the Papago for the name of the bean, the reply was t’pawi (meaning ‘it is a bean’).