VICIA TENUIFOLIA

Including Subsp, Dalmatica and Tenuifolia

Family and Genus:- See- LEGUMINOSAE/Sect. CRACCA/V. CRACCA Group

Common Name:- Bramble vetch

Homotypic Synonyms:- Vicia dalmatica

Meaning:- Vicia (L) Binder, to bind, a name used by the Roman naturalist and

philosopher Pliny for vetch.

Tenuifolia (L) Slender-leaved, with narrow leaves.

Dalmatica (L) From Dalmatia, eastern Adriatic, Dalmatian.

General description:- A much-branched, scrambling perennial.

Stems:-

1) Up to 100 cm. glabrous or sparsely appressed-pubescent.

Leaves:-

1) Leaves, usually 6-12-paired. tendrils branched.

2a) Leaflets, narrowly elliptic-oblong. (subsp. tenuifolia).

2b) Leaflets, linear. (subsp. dalmatica).

3) Stipules, simple, narrowly lanceolate.

Flowers:-

1a) Racemes, moderately dense. (subsp. tenuifolia).

1b) Racemes, lax. (subsp. dalmatica).

2) Peduncles, equalling or exceeding the subtending leaf.

3) Calyx, campanulate, slightly gibbous.

a) teeth, unequal, the longest ± equalling tube.

b) the upper very short.

3) Corolla, 12-18 mm, purple or lilac.

a) Standard limb, longer than the claw.

Fruit:-

1) Legume, 20-35 x 5-8 mm, glabrous.

2) Seeds, with hilum 1/5-1/4 of the circumference.

Key features:-

2) Corolla, (10-)12-18 mm.

3) Standard limb, longer than the claw.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Scrub, open woodland, road verges, field margins. 0-700(-1750) m.

Distribution:- Mainly the Balkans and Anatolia. Rare on Crete, currently known

only from the Lefka Ori and Dikti massifs.

Flowering time:- Apr-June

Photos by:- Steve Lentons