element: one of four substances thought in ancient and medieval cosmology to constitute the physical universe
substance: the real physical matter of which a person or thing consists
hyacinth bean: perennial twining vine of Old World tropics having trifoliate leaves and racemes of fragrant purple pea-like flowers followed by maroon pods of edible seeds; grown as an ornamental and as a vegetable on the Indian subcontinent; sometimes placed in genus Dolichos