Vigna vexillata is a close relative of the cowpea (V. unguiculata) that (sometimes) rejoices in the common name Zombi Bean. (It is also called the tuber cowpea.) It’s hard to tell whether this is a “famine food” harvested from the wild, a plant being domesticated and on its way to becoming a crop, or a full-fledged crop species. Either way, scientists in Australia have been doing their darndest to understand how it can best be improved. The result, so far, is three back-to-back papers in Crop & Pasture Science.
- Genotypic variation in domesticated and wild accessions of the tropical tuberous legume Vigna vexillata (L.) A. Rich. doi:10.1071/CP10029
- Genetic compatibility among domesticated and wild accessions of the tropical tuberous legume Vigna vexillata (L.) A. Rich. doi:10.1071/CP10060
- Expression of qualitative and quantitative traits in hybrids between domesticated and wild accessions of the tropical tuberous legume Vigna vexillata (L.) A. Rich. doi:10.1071/CP10084
But not, yet, any improved varieties.