LATHYRUS AMPHICARPOS

Family and Genus:- See- LEGUMINOSAE

Common Names:- None

Homotypic Synonyms:- Cicercula sativa var. amphicarpos, Lathyrus sativus

var. amphicarpos.

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

Amphicarpos (Gr) With curved pods.

General description:- Slender, subglabrous annual.

Stem:-

1) 5-25 cm, 5-25 cm, angular or narrowly winged.

Leaves:-

1) ±-paired, ending in a mucro or the upper ones in a simple tendril.

2) Leaflets, elliptical, (5-10-25 x (l-)2-4 mm.

3) Stipules, 5-10 x 2-4 mm, lanceolate, semi-sagittate.

Flowers:-

1) Solitary.

2) Peduncles, very short or up to 40 mm.

3) Calyx, not gibbous:

a) teeth, subequal, 2.5-3 mm, triangular to ovate, equalling or somewhat longer

than the tube.

4) Corolla, 10-12 mm, brick-red, with deeper red veins.

Fruit:-

1) Legume, 15-25 x c. 10 mm, ovate,1(-2)-seeded, glabrous, brown:

a) valves, distinctly reticulate.

b) upper margin, with 2 wings up to 2.5 mm.

c) lower margin, with 2 narrower wings (to 1 mm), shorter, scarcely winged

subterranean legumes sometimes present.

2) Seeds, 2-4, smooth:

a) hilum, 1/15-1/13 of the circumference.

Key features:-

1) Whole plant subglabrous.

2) Legume,1(-2)-seeded, with 2 broad wings on the dorsal suture and 2

narrower wings on the ventral suture

3) Calyx-teeth, 1½-3 times as long as the tube.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Open dry shrubby vegetation on rocky slopes, mostly over limestone. 0-

1000 m.

Distribution:- Scattered in the Mediterranean region from Portugal and SW Spain

to Corsica, S.Italy, Sicily and Greece. Somewhat limited distribution on Crete, not

too common.

Flowering time:- Late Mar to May, occasionally later.

Photos by:- Steve Lenton