Black-eyed peas, also called cowpeas, are a type of legume cultivated around the world for their medium-sized, edible bean. They are a subspecies of the cowpea, an Old World plant domesticated in Africa, and are sometimes simply called a cowpea. Black-eyed peas get their name from their appearance. They are cream colored with a little black speck that resembles an eye in the center, outlining where they were once attached to pods. As with other types of beans, people can purchase them canned or dried.