Vigna unguiculata (Cowpea)

Vigna unguiculata

Common Name: Cowpea, Common Bean
Oˊodham Name: Uˊus Mu:ñ Audio
Group: Crop Plants － Crop Plants

Description

The cowpea is a cultivated form of the blackeyed pea, Vigna unguiculata. Cowpeas contain about 25% protein but do not contain all the amino acids needed to make a complete protein for human consumption. However, this deficiency is easily compensated by adding cereal grains, such as sorghum, to the diet. Cowpeas are an excellent source of folic acid, Vitamin A, and Calcium, and also provide a good source of dietary fiber. [ 1, 2 ]

Classification

Kingdom Plantae － Plants

Subkingdom Tracheobionta － Vascular plants

Superdivision Spermatophyta － Seed plants

Division Magnoliophyta － Flowering plants

Class Magnoliopsida － Dicotyledons

Subclass Rosidae

Order Fabales

Family Fabaceae － Pea family

Genus Vigna Savi － cowpea

Species Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp. － blackeyed pea

More Information

USDA Plant Profile and Map

ARC Centre of Excellence for Integrated Legume Research: Cowpea. http://www.cilr.uq.edu.au/UserImages/File/factsheets/Cowpea%20S10.pdf
IITA: Research to Nourish Africa. http://www.iita.org/cowpea
Collection of Various References on Cowpea. http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/nexus/Vigna_unguiculata_nex.html