Have you ever heard of Roma beans? Nobody knows what I'm talking about, but I'm sure that's what the green beans my Italian grandmother grew were called.
You're right -- Roma beans is another name for the long, wide, flat-podded Italian-style green beans (sold cut and frozen in supermarkets or fresh at green markets). Also called pole beans, they're excellent in recipes from minestrone to Grilled Polenta with Sausage Sauce, or simply sautéed in butter. Roma beans can also be substituted for regular green beans in most dishes.