cowpea

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• black-eyed-bean
• cowpea
• Reeve's-pea
• snake-bean
• Black-eyed Pea
• Cuckold's-Increase
• Southern Pea
• Twin Flower

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified within the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. It is further categorized under the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Fabales. Finally, it is a member of the family Fabaceae and is identified by the genus Vigna.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant, known as Vigna unguiculata, exhibits a diverse geographical distribution across several distinct regions. In Eastern Europe, it can be found growing within the territory of Ukraine. Its presence extends significantly into Northern Africa, where it is established in Algeria, Egypt, and Libya. Additionally, the species is documented in the Macaronesia region, specifically inhabiting Cape Verde. These varied locations demonstrate the plant's ability to adapt to different environmental conditions across multiple continents.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Vigna unguiculata is characterized by its broad adaptability to diverse environmental landscapes, ranging from sea level up to an elevation of 2100 m AMSL. This species thrives in a variety of distinct ecological niches, commonly colonizing open grasslands, riverine forests, and dry scrublands. Its ability to persist across such a wide altitudinal gradient and within varied habitats—from the moisture-retentive environments of riverine forests to the more arid conditions of dry scrub—demonstrates a significant ecological plasticity.

Elevational range max:

2100 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

grassland, riverine forest, dry scrub

Life history

The life history of Vigna unguiculata is characterized by an annual lifecycle, meaning the plant completes its entire biological progression from germination to seed production within a single growing season. As a therophyte, it survives the unfavorable seasons primarily in the form of seeds, which remain dormant until environmental conditions become conducive to growth. This life form strategy allows the plant to rapidly exploit seasonal resources, utilizing its ephemeral herbaceous structure to maximize reproductive output before the onset of drought or cold.

Life form :

therophyte

Lifecycle :

annual

Morphology

The morphology of Vigna unguiculata is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb and forb, specifically functioning as an obligatory climbing vine. As a terrestrial plant, it maintains an independent lifestyle, neither acting as a parasite nor as an epiphyte. The plant exhibits significant variation in stature, with heights ranging from a minimum of 0.2 m to a maximum of 6 m, resulting in an average plant height of approximately 2.47 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

vine

Climber :

obligatory

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

6 m

Plant height mean:

2.46571428571429 m

Plant height min:

0.2 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Vigna unguiculata is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which involves the direct fixation of carbon dioxide via the Calvin cycle within the mesophyll cells. This plant does not exhibit succulence, maintaining standard leaf morphology and water management strategies rather than storing significant moisture in specialized fleshy tissues. Furthermore, Vigna unguiculata functions as a nitrogen fixer, utilizing a symbiotic relationship with rhizobia bacteria within its root nodules to convert atmospheric nitrogen into a bioavailable form, thereby enhancing soil fertility and its own nutritional uptake.

Nitrogen fixer :

yes

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Succulence :

no

Reproduction

The reproduction of Vigna unguiculata is characterized by a flexible phenology, with flowering and fruiting periods that are highly variable and can occur across any month of the year, from January through December. The plant utilizes biotic pollination, specifically relying on an insect-based pollination syndrome to facilitate fertilization. Once pollinated, the plant is capable of self-fertilization to ensure seed production. The resulting fruits are characterized by a dry texture. The seeds produced vary in mass, with a mean seed mass of approximately 0.0859 g, ranging from a minimum of 0.00179 g to a maximum of 0.2319 g, and maintaining a consistent seed volume of 25 mm³. Dispersal of the seeds is primarily achieved through a hydrochorous syndrome, where water serves as the main medium for transport.

Dispersal syndrome :

hydrochorous

Flowering time :

Jan

Fruit dryness :

dry

Fruiting time :

Jan

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Seed mass max:

0.2319 g

Seed mass mean:

0.0859108332857143 g

Seed mass min:

0.00179 g

Seed volume max:

25 mm³

Self fertilization :

present

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Vigna unguiculata has 1 reported plant parts identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include seed.

Seed

1. Biochimica et biophysica acta
2. Acta crystallographica. Section D, Biological crystallography

Chemicals

Vigna unguiculata has 155 reported phytochemicals identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include STARCH, Ash, Trypsin inhibitor, lysine, CALCIUM.

STARCH

1. Dr. Duke
2. Plant foods for human nutrition (Dordrecht, Netherlands)
3. International journal of food sciences and nutrition
4. Archivos latinoamericanos de nutricion
5. Zentralblatt fur Bakteriologie, Parasitenkunde, Infektionskrankheiten und Hygiene. Zweite naturwissenschaftliche Abteilung: Mikrobiologie der Landwirtschaft der Technologie und des Umweltschutzes

Ash

1. Dr. Duke
2. Food science & nutrition
3. International journal of food sciences and nutrition
4. Die Nahrung

Trypsin inhibitor

1. Archivos latinoamericanos de nutricion
2. Plant foods for human nutrition (Dordrecht, Netherlands)
3. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry
4. The British journal of nutrition

lysine

1. Dr. Duke
2. International journal of food sciences and nutrition
3. Archivos latinoamericanos de nutricion
4. Plant foods for human nutrition (Dordrecht, Netherlands)

CALCIUM

1. Dr. Duke
2. Heliyon
3. International journal of food sciences and nutrition

FAT

1. Dr. Duke
2. International journal of food sciences and nutrition
3. Archivos latinoamericanos de nutricion

PHOSPHORUS

1. Dr. Duke
2. Plant foods for human nutrition (Dordrecht, Netherlands)
3. International journal of food sciences and nutrition

POTASSIUM

1. Dr. Duke
2. Heliyon
3. Die Nahrung

Phytic acid

1. Dr. Duke
2. Plant foods for human nutrition (Dordrecht, Netherlands)
3. International journal of food sciences and nutrition

RAFFINOSE

1. Dr. Duke
2. Plant foods for human nutrition (Dordrecht, Netherlands)
3. International journal of food sciences and nutrition

Activities

Vigna unguiculata has 491 reported activities identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Analgesic, Antimicrobial, Antioxidant, 5-Alpha-Reductase-Inhibitor, ACE-Inhibitor.

Analgesic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Combinatorial chemistry & high throughput screening

Antimicrobial

1. Dr. Duke
2. Natural product research

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Natural product research

5-Alpha-Reductase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

ACE-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

AP-1-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

ATPase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Abortifacient

1. Dr. Duke

Absorbent

1. Dr. Duke

Acidulant

1. Dr. Duke

Conditions

Vigna unguiculata has 22 reported investigations on conditions identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include cowpea mosaic virus, malnutrition, Alzheimer's disease, infertility, Candida albicans.

Cowpea mosaic virus

1. Virology
2. The Journal of general virology
3. Archives of virology. Supplementum

Malnutrition

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
2. International journal of food microbiology
3. The British journal of nutrition

Alzheimer's disease

1. Scientific reports
2. American journal of neurodegenerative disease

Infertility

1. Archives of andrology
2. The Central African journal of medicine

Candida albicans

1. Natural product research

Cowpea chlorotic mottle virus

1. Virology

Cowpea mosaic virus

1. Virology

Flatulence

1. Appetite

Sars-cov-2

1. Natural product research

Alfalfa mosaic virus

1. Archives of virology

Preparations

Vigna unguiculata has 1 reported preparations identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include cowpea flour.

Cowpea flour

1. Foods (Basel, Switzerland)