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A Second Name from Italy but originally French
The genus '''Vigna''' is in the plant family Fabaceae. The genus is named after Dominico Vigna an Italian botanist of the 17th century. Many ''Vigna'' species are cultivated for food. They include some well-known and not so well known bean species formerly included in the genus ''Phaseolus''. Common names in this genus reflect its mixed taxonomic history as some are referred to as peas and others as beans.
Many references even in current literature will place some of these species in genus ''Phaseolus''. According to ''Hortus Third'', however, ''Vigna'' differs from ''Phaseolus'' in that

★ plants in ''Vigna'' often have stipules that are appendaged

★ the thickened part of the style is less strongly twisted

★ details of the pollen

★ details of the biochemistry
Examples of ''Vigna'' species cultivated for food include:

★ ''V. acontifolia'' moth bean

★ ''V. angularis'' azuki bean

★ ''V. lanceolata'' pencil yam

★ ''V. mungo'' urad bean, black gram

★ ''V. radiata'' mung bean, green gram

★ ''V. subterranea'' Bambara groundnut (placed by some authors in genus ''Voandzeia'')

★ ''V. umbellata'' rice bean

★ ''V. unguiculata'' cowpea

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★ ''V. unguiculata'' ssp. ''cylindrica'' catjang

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★ ''V. unguiculata'' ssp. ''dekindtiana'' black-eyed pea

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★ ''V. unguiculata'' ssp. ''sesquipedalis'' yardlong bean

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★ ''V. unguiculata'' ssp. ''unguiculata'' southern pea

★ ''V. vexillata'' zombi pea
Other ''Vigna'' species include:

★ ''V. caracalla''
Bambara groundnut
Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc.
''Vigna'' species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Turnip Moth.

Contents

External links

External links

★ ITIS Standard Report Page: Vigna

★ GRIN-CA Taxonomy for Vigna