The metaphase chromosomes of five wild species of the sectionVignaof the genusVigna, namelyV. ambacensis, V. heterophylla, V. racemosa, V. marina, andV. graciliswere analysed in order to define the reacting properties to differential staining methods and chromosomal distribution of the different fractions of their heterochromatin, using C-banding and fluorochrome staining as discriminating techniques. Based on these characters it was possible to cluster the above species into three homogeneous groups:V. ambacensisandV. heterophyllabelong to the first cluster,V. racemosais the only member of the second group, andV. marinaandV. gracilisform the third set. Species clustered into the first group show heterochromatin chromosomal distribution and reacting properties more similar to those of the cultivated speciesV. unguiculatathan the other two sets. These findings are compared to those of earlier studies on related species.