Know your Black-eyed Pea

Know your Black-eyed Pea - Introduction

• The black-eyed pea, Vigna unguiculata subsp. unguiculata, is a subspecies of the cowpea, grown around the world for its medium-sized edible bean.

Know your Black-eyed Pea - Common names

• The black-eyed pea is also called black-eyed bean, ChawaLie, Lobia, etc. in various languages in India.

Know your Black-eyed Pea - Varieties

• The bean mutates easily, giving rise to a number of varieties.

• The common commercial one is called the California Blackeye; it is rose-coloured with a prominent black spot.

• The currently accepted botanical name is Vigna unguiculata subsp. unguiculata, although previously it was classified in the genus Phaseolus.

• Vigna unguiculata subsp. dekindtiana is the wild relative and Vigna unguiculata subsp. sesquipedalis is the related asparagus bean.

• Other beans of somewhat similar appearance, such as the "frijol ojo de cabra" ("goat's eye bean") of northern Mexico, are sometimes incorrectly called "black-eyed peas" and vice versa.