LATHYRUS ARTICULATUS

Family and Genus:- See- LEGUMINOSAE

Common Name:- None

Homotypic Synonyms:- Clymenum articulatum, Lathyrus articulatus var.

typicus, Lathyrus clymenum var. articulatus, Lathyrus clymenum subsp.

articulatus, Lathyrus clymenum proles articulatus.

Meaning:- Lathyrus (Gr) The ancient name for chickling pea.

Articulatus (L) Knuckled, jointed, articulated.

General description:- Medium to tall hairless annual.

Stem:-

1) 30-100 cm, winged.

Leaves:-

1) With a broad leaf-like petiole and rhachis,

a) lower, linear-lanceolate, without leaflets.

b) upper, with 2-4(-5) pairs of leaflets.

2) Leaflets, 20-60(-80) x 3-11 mm, linear to elliptical or lanceolate.

3) Stipules, 9-18 x 2-6 mm, linear to ovate, semi-hastate.

Flowers:-

1) Racemes. 1- to 5-flowered.

2) Calyx-teeth, equal, shorter than the tube.

3) Corolla, 15-20 mm,

a) standard, mauve-purple, distinctly emarginate.

b) wings, pale lilac to white.

4) Style, obtuse.

Fruit:-

1) Legume, 30-70 x 5-12 mm, brown, glabrous, not channelled on the dorsal suture,

not torulose.

2) Seeds, 5-7, smooth, hilum, 1/7-1/6 of the circumference.

Key features:-

1) Upper leaves, with 2-4 pairs of leaflets.

2) Corolla, purple with violet, lilac, white or pink wings.

3) Legume, dorsal suture not channelled.

4) Standard, distinctly emarginate.

5) Style, obtuse.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Open dry shrubby vegetation, scrubland vegetation, olive groves and field

margins. 0-700 m.

Distribution:- In Greece restricted to the Aegean area. Widespread in the

Mediterranean region, but distribution uncertain due to confusion with L. clymenum

Fairly rare on Crete.

Flowering time:- Mid-Mar to mid-May.

Photos by:- Steve Lenton