wild cowpea flowers

Description:

The wild cowpea is a common plant throughout Mozambique, in its many variations. It is the wild ancestor of the cowpea. Flowers of wild and cultivated cowpea are identical, but the pods and seeds are much smaller. Unlike cultivated cowpea, seeds of wild cowpea have some dormancy and ripe pods shatter their seeds. Hybrids are observed where the wild and cultivated cowpea grow together. Leaves of wild and cultivated cowpea are often cooked as a nutritious leafy vegetable.