The common name for Vigna luteola derives from "waakimbala", a Native American Chickasaw word that means "hairypod cowpea." This plant has a particularly robust ability to repel pests because of the high levels of quercetin and isorhamnetin in its leaves. The genus name "luteola" translates to "yellow", referring to the plant's gold-colored flowers.

Dune bean (Vigna marina) is a scrambling salt-tolerant plant that simply loves the beach. Its scientific name marina refers to its preferred marine habitat. This plant's dense growth means that it is classed as minorly invasive in some coastal locations. However, in other locations this dense growth is appreciated, as it can stabilize loose sand.

Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) is an annual grain legume that is an important crop in many regions. The plant has been used as forage for animals and for cow feed. It can be short and bushy or grow as a long vine up to 2 m tall. The edible seeds and seed pods are very small and kidney-shaped.

An important food crop in some areas, zombi pea, or Vigna vexillata, is a perennial climbing plant that thrives in a variety of conditions. In addition to being cultivated for its tubers, it is also grown as a ground cover and green manure.

The popular red bean paste filling found in various food and pastries in some East Asian countries is made from the adzuki bean, an annual vine. Because of its bean's naturally sweet and nutty flavor, this plant is grown as an edible crop. Seeds are used as medicine in China to treat a variety of diseases.

Mung bean (Vigna radiata) is a plant in the legume family that is native to India and is mostly cultivated for culinary uses. It is considered a warm season crop and is both heat and drought-tolerant. Plant in early summer to harvest in fall.

The cowpea plant is used to feed grazing cattle. It is cultivated for the versatile edible beans, also called black-eyed peas, used in soup, stews, etc., that are rich in protein, calories, minerals, and vitamins.

The is a fascinating plant known for its incredibly long edible pods, which can reach lengths of over 1 meter. It is often cultivated for its culinary value, as the tender pods are delicious when cooked. Additionally, this plant is a great choice for gardeners as it attracts beneficial insects with its vibrant flowers. Its unique appearance and impressive pod length make it stand out among other plants in the garden.

Named for the snail shell-like curls of its flowers, the Snail flower is grown in gardens but has naturalized in several areas, like California, where it is considered invasive. Snail flower's species name, "caracalla," honors Caracas, Venezuela, where it is found natively.

Vigna umbellata (Thunb.) Ohwi and Ohashi, previously Phaseolus calcaratus, is a warm-season annual vine legume with yellow flowers and small edible beans. It is commonly called ricebean or rice bean. To date, it is little known, little researched and little exploited. It is regarded as a minor food and fodder crop and is often grown as intercrop or mixed crop with maize (Zea mays), sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) or cowpea (V. unguiculata), as well as a sole crop in the uplands, on a very limited area. Like the other Asiatic Vigna species, ricebean is a fairly short-lived warm-season annual. Grown mainly as a dried pulse, it is also important as a fodder, a green manure and a vegetable. Ricebean is most widely grown as an intercrop, particularly of maize, throughout Indo-China and extending into southern China, India, Nepal and Bangladesh. In the past it was widely grown as lowland crop on residual soil water after the harvest of long-season rice, but it has been displaced to a great extent where shorter duration rice varieties are grown. Ricebean grows well on a range of soils. It establishes rapidly and has the potential to produce large amounts of nutritious animal fodder and high quality grain.

With a graceful stance, wondering cowpea flourishes in warm, sunny locales, showcasing delicate, spreading vines. Its vivid flowers not only add strokes of color but are also a prelude to the elongated pods it yields. These slender pods house seeds that renew the cycle of life, while the sturdy leaves capture the sun's energy, optimizing the plant's vitality in its preferred tropical to subtropical habitat.