Vigna luteola

Vigna luteola (Jacq.) Benth.

Common Names: Hairy Cow Pea, Yellow Vigna

Family: Fabaceae

Habit Vigna luteola grows as a climbing or trailing vine to 8 m in length. The trifoliate leaves are arranged alternately with linear stipules.  The leaflets are to 10 cm in length (usually shorter), ovate/lanceolate, with an acute apex. The terminal leaflet is larger and has a petiolule while the side leaflets are subsessile. Both leaves and stem are slightly pubescent throughout.

The complete, perfect, zygomorphic flowers are arranged in few flowered racemes.  The calyx has 5 fused green petals.  The corolla has 5 yellow petals, the upper enlarged to form a striated banner and the lower 2 fused to form the keel.  There are 10 diadelphous stamens.  The ovary is superior and has a single locule.  The fruit is an elongate, round, brown, slightly pubescent legume, to 5 cm long at maturity. The fruit contorts and twists at maturity releasing black seeds.

Habitat: Vigna luteola grows in moist Human Altered environments (yards, old fields, roadsides).

Distribution: Vigna luteola is NOT native to the Lucayan Archipelago but occurs throughout. It is native to the western hemisphere but now occurs in tropical and subtropical regions globally as a weedy species.

Medicinal/Cultural/Economic usage: Vigna luteola is not used medicinally in the Bahamas.