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The cowpeas are the genus Vigna in the plant family Fabaceae. They include some well-known and not so well known bean species formerly included in the genus Phaseolus.

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 include:

• V. acontifolia moth bean
• V. angularis azuki or adzuki bean
• V. mungo urd bean or urd
• V. radiata mung beanThe mung bean is the seed of Vigna radiata ( Fabaceae), which is native to India. It is also known as green gram or golden gram . The mung bean is one of many species recently moved from Phaseolus to Vigna and is still often seen cited as Phaseolus aureus, green gram
• V. subterranea Bambara groundnutThe Bambara groundnut (or Bambarra groundnut is a member of the family Fabaceae. According to some authors it is Voandzeia subterranea but others place it in Vigna''. The plant originated in West Africa. The bambara groundnut ripens its pods underground, (placed by some authors in genus Voandzeia )
• V. umbellata rice bean
• V. unguiculata cow beanThe cow bean Vigna unguiculata is one of several species of the cowpea genus, Vigna that are widely cultivated. Four cultivated subspecies are recognised: V. unguiculata ssp. cylindrica Catjang V. unguiculata ssp. dekindtiana Black-eyed pea V. unguiculata
  • V. unguiculata ssp. cylindrica Catjang
  • V. unguiculata ssp. dekindtiana Black-eyed pea
  • V. unguiculata ssp. sesquipedalis Yardlong bean
  • V. unguiculata ssp. unguiculata Southern pea
• V. vexillata zombi pea