Vigna longifolia (Bentham) Verdcourt

Home

Leguminosae

Synonyms

  • Phaseolus longifoliusBentham (1838)
  • Phaseolus ovatus Bentham (1837)(1823)
Author: P. Izaguirre de Artucio

Common names:

Longleaf cowpea

Description:

Perennial, herbaceous, climbing up to 3 m high; stems rhizomatous or erect.

Distribution:

Origin in America distributed in all mainland and the Antilles, introduced into Africa.

Habitat:

In lowlands, marshes, sometimes on humid slopes. Needs good soil fertility, good drainage and moisture. Does not persist in clay, poorly permeable soils.

Use:

Good forage production potential. Grows in early spring with peak production in summer. With good soil moisture thrives in all subtropical and temperate areas. Useful in flooded areas, crude protein content 8.4 %, P 0.14 %. Has been tried as a follow up use of rice fields stubble with good forage yields and abundant seed production.

Nodulation and N fixation:

Good natural nodulation with Bradyrhizobium.

References:

Borsani & Díaz, (1996); Fernández et al., (1988); Izaguirre & Beyhaut, (1998)