Vigna luteola, commonly known as the hairy cowpea and the Nile bean,[2] is a perennial vine found in many tropical areas.

[3] Vigna luteola is a hairy, short-lived perennial vine that occurs in moist soil and grows in either a spreading or climbing fashion.

The seeds resist storage pests due to their high levels of phytic acid, trypsin, and cystatin.

[6] Vigna luteola was first classified as Dolichos luteolus in 1771 by Nicholas von Jacquin, naming it from plants he cultivated in Vienna.

[8] In Africa, the plant is most common in Zimbabwe, but ranges from Senegal to Ethiopia to Egypt, and can be found in the Middle East, in Australia, and is widespread across Asia.

[6] It prefers moist to wet clay soils, and will tolerate a wide range of salinities, from 0-10 ppt.

[12] The flowers of Vigna luteola are eaten as a boiled vegetable in Ethiopia and Malawi, and the roots are chewed for the sweet juice.