Vigna unguiculata subsp. unguiculata

Vigna unguiculata subsp. unguiculata (L.) Walp., Repert. Bot. Syst. 1: 779. 1892, keralaplants.in; Dolicos biflorus L., Sp. Pl. 727. 1753; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. Ind. 2: 210. 1876; Gamble, Fl. Pres. Madras 367(259). 1918; Dolichos unguiculata L. Sp. Pl. 725. 1753.

Erect or scrambling annual, glabrescent. Leaves pinnately trifoliate; petiole 1.5-13 cm long; leaflets 5-16 cm x 4-12 cm, ovate-lanceolate to ovate-rhomboid to oblong (lateral leaflets oblique), acuminate to obtuse, mucronate, glabrous or sparsely pubescent on both surfaces; petiolules 2-5 mm long. stipels 3 mm long, acute or obtuse. Stipules submedifixed, 10-25 mm long. Inflorescence axillary, 2-12 flowered capitate racemes with peduncle up to 25 cm long; flowers clustered at the top of peduncle, rachis usually thickened and glandular at the point of insertion of pedicels. Flowers bisexual, zygomorphic, 5-merous, perigynous, greenish yellow, ca. 2 cm long; bracts and bracteoles 3-5 mm long; bracteoles fugacious; pedicels 1-4 mm long. Sepals 5, fused; calyx 8-12 mm long, green or dark pink or purple, longitudinally ribbed, transversely plicate-tuberculate, lobes shorter than calyx tube, narrow, acuminate, pale yellow. Corolla papilionaceous; vexillum 2-2.5 cm x 1.8-2.7 cm, greenish yellow outside and light bluish-purple inside, suborbicular, apex emarginate, with 2 appendages in lower half and 2 small membranous pouches at base, 2 incurved auricles near claw, claw small, ca. 2 mm long; wings obovate, light purple, slightly shorter than vexillum, 1.9-2.4 cm x ca. 1.4 cm with ca. 3 mm long claw; keel ca. 2 cm x 1 cm, falcate, apex beaked, incurved, white, obtuse, claw ca. 3 mm long. Stamens 10, diadelphous (9+1), vexillary stamen free; staminal tube 1.5 cm long, free part of filaments6 mm long, all anthers ubiform. Ovary sessile, green, glabrous or pubescent, unilocular with many ovules, placentation marginal; style ca. 1 cm long, densely hairy on one side near upper half; stigma subterminal, lateral, green, capitate. Legumes terete, up to 22 cm long, glabrous or minutely pilose, seeds 9-14, pale white or red or brown with black eye, 6-10 mm x 6-7 mm.

Flowering and Fruiting: October to November
Common Names: Asparagus Bean, Barbati, Black Eye Pea, Blue Goose Southern Pea, Common Cow Pea, Southern Pea, Wild Cow Pea; Raungi (Hindi and Punjabi)