Is lobia the same as black-eyed pea?

Yes — black-eyed pea is one common variety of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata), named for the dark spot on its pale seed.

Is lobia a bean or a pea?

Botanically it's neither true bean (Phaseolus) nor true pea (Pisum) — cowpea belongs to its own genus, Vigna, though it's used and cooked much like other pulses.

Three leaflets
As recorded for Lobiya

✿Fabaceae · Vigna

Vigna unguiculata subsp. unguiculata

Lobiya / Cow Pea लोबिया

Hindi name · See all regional names ↓

Also known as Asparagus Bean, Barbati, Black Eye Pea, Blue Goose Southern Pea, Common Cowpea, Southern Pea

Introduced in India · Kew WCVPClimberMedicinal

Habit: Climber
Found in India: Maharashtra
Flowering: Throughout the year

Identify this plant with SASYA

One plant. Many familiar names.

Lobiya in regional languages

Find the name you know, then compare it with the botanical profile. Columns list recorded aliases; they are not paired translations. A Latin spelling appears only when it is present in the source record.

Recorded regional names for Lobiya
Language	Regional script	Recorded Latin spelling
Hindi	लोबिया	Lobiya, lobiya
Nepali	बोडी	Boodee
Bengali	বিউলির ডাল	Ghangra
Tamil	காராமணி	Kaattu ulundu, Karamani
Telugu	అలసంద	Alasandalu, Kaaraamanulu
Kannada	Not recorded	Alasabde, Alasundi
Malayalam	വൻപയർ	Not recorded
Marathi	चवळी	Alasunda, Chavali

See the original recorded names

Hindi: लोबिया Lobiya,लोबिया lobiya
Nepali: बोडी Boodee, बोडी
Bengali: Ghangra, বিউলির ডাল
Tamil: Kaattu ulundu, Karamani, காராமணி
Telugu: Alasandalu, Kaaraamanulu, అలసంద
Kannada: Alasabde, Alasundi
Malayalam: വൻപയർ
Marathi: Alasunda, चवळी Chavali

Ecology & growing context

Native status · Kew WCVP: WCVP records it as introduced in Andaman Is., Assam, India, Laccadive Is., West Himalaya Kew dataset ↗
Kew WCVP dataset; accepted-name match. Dataset matching is separate from an individual regional review. Recorded worldwide native range: Cape Verde, Trop. & S. Africa.
Explore nearby plants: Maharashtra →

Occurrence records show where a plant has been recorded; they do not establish that it is native there. Compare local habitat and growing conditions when choosing plants for a garden.

How to identify Lobiya

Identify Lobiya by combining habit, leaf characters, flower or fruit details, location, and its family pattern. Do not rely on one feature alone.

Look for a climber habit.
Check the distinctive field mark: Cultivated pulse crop with long slender pods (cowpea).
Confirm leaf type: Trifoliate (three leaflets).
Confirm leaf surface: Glabrous (smooth, hairless).
Confirm flower colour: Purple.
Confirm fruit type: Legume.
In season, compare flowering and fruiting time: Throughout the year.

Plant Details

Scientific name: Vigna unguiculata subsp. unguiculata
Genus: Vigna
Family: Fabaceae
Habit: Climber
Native to: India
Distribution: Cultivated in the Tropics
Found in India: Maharashtra
Flowering & fruiting: Throughout the year

Leaf characters

Leaf type: Trifoliate (three leaflets)recorded
Leaf surface: Glabrous (smooth, hairless)recorded

Typical of the family

Arrangement: Alternate
Margin: Entire
Venation: Pinnate

Characters marked “recorded” are for Lobiya itself; the rest are typical of the Fabaceae family.

Flower & fruit characters

Flower colour: PurplerecordedPurple or violet
Fruit type: LegumerecordedA dry pod that splits open along two seams (typical of the pea/bean family).“The black-eyed pea or black-eyed bean is a legume grown around the world for its medium-sized, edible bean.” — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Typical of the family

Flower symmetry: Zygomorphic (bilaterally symmetrical)
Inflorescence: Raceme
Fruit: Legume

Characters marked “recorded” are for Lobiya itself; the rest are typical of the Fabaceae family — flowering plants only.

Lobiya in India

Cowpea, known as लोबिया Lobiya (Hindi), Kaattu ulundu (Tamil), Alasandalu (Telugu), Alasabde (Kannada), വൻപയർ (Malayalam), Alasunda (Marathi), is grown both as a dry pulse and a fresh vegetable bean. Vigna unguiculata is cultivated across Maharashtra, tolerating heat and poor soil well.

Uses

The dried seeds are cooked as a pulse (lobia curry), while the young pods of long-podded varieties are cooked fresh as a vegetable; the plant is also grown as fodder and a soil-improving cover crop.

How to Identify Lobiya

A trailing to semi-erect annual herb with trifoliate leaves. Flowers are pale yellow to violet, followed by long, slender pods that can reach considerable length in some varieties, ripening from green to yellow, brown or purplish depending on type.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Cow pea called in different Indian languages?: लोबिया Lobiya (Hindi); Kaattu ulundu (Tamil); Alasandalu (Telugu); Alasabde (Kannada); വൻപയർ (Malayalam); Alasunda (Marathi); Ghangra (Bengali).
Is lobia the same as black-eyed pea?: Yes — black-eyed pea is one common variety of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata), named for the dark spot on its pale seed.
Is lobia a bean or a pea?: Botanically it's neither true bean (Phaseolus) nor true pea (Pisum) — cowpea belongs to its own genus, Vigna, though it's used and cooked much like other pulses.

Botanical family

Fabaceae

Legume/Bean family

Lobiya belongs to the Fabaceae family.

The illustration represents the family — not necessarily this exact species.

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Common plant problems

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More in Fabaceae

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Sources: GBIF — Vigna unguiculata subsp. unguiculata (India distribution & vernacular names) (CC BY 4.0) · Wikipedia — Vigna unguiculata subsp. unguiculata (background/comprehension only) (CC BY-SA 4.0)