Vigna luteola

Vigna luteola
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Magnoliophyta - Flowering plants
Class:	Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons
Order:	Fabales
Family:	Fabaceae ⁄ Leguminosae
Genus:	Vigna
Species:	V. luteola
Binomial name
Vigna luteola (Jacq.) Benth.
Natural range of Vigna luteola from USDA NRCS Plants Database.

Common name: hairypod cowpea

Description

Vigna luteola has been observed twining on grasses and shrubs (FSU Herbarium). It has been observed to have yellow flowers and terete fruit (FSU Herbarium).

Ecology

Habitat

Vigna luteola can occur along bays, river banks, palmetto hammocks, bordering mangrove swamps, lagoon shores, salt marsh banks, scrub oak-palmetto near the coast, along seepage slopes, and coastal sea oats grasslands. It has also been found in disturbed areas such as cleared borders of slash pine flatwoods and disturbed beaches (FSU Herbarium). Substrate types include loamy sand, sandy loam, and oyster shells (FSU Herbarium). Associated species include Bidens laevis, Eupatorium perfoliatum, Aster puniceus, Rynchospora, Uniola paniculata, Helianthus debilis, and Paspalum (FSU Herbarium).

Phenology

Flowers and fruits February through November (FSU Herbarium).

Fire ecology

It has been observed growing in recently burned pine woodlands (FSU Herbarium).

Pollination

The following Hymenoptera families and species were observed visiting flowers of Vigna luteola at Archbold Biological Station (Deyrup 2015):

Halictidae: Halictus poeyi

Megachilidae: Anthidium maculifrons, Coelioxys sayi, Dianthidium floridiense, Megachile brevis pseudobrevis, M. exilis parexilis, M. mendica

References and notes

Deyrup, M.A. and N.D. 2015. Database of observations of Hymenoptera visitations to flowers of plants on Archbold Biological Station, Florida, USA.