LATHYRUS APHACA

Family and Genus:- See- LEGUMINOSAE

Common Names:- Yellow vetchling

Homotypic Synonyms:- None

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

Aphaca (Gr) Name used by Pliny for a lentil-like plant.

General description:- Trailing or scrambling, glabrous, ± glaucous annual.

Stem:-

1) 10-40 cm tall, simple or sparingly branched, unwinged.

Leaves:-

1) Seedling leaves, with a pair of small leaflets.

2) Mature leaf reduced to a simple, unbranched tendril.

3) Stipules, usually 10-25 mm, broadly ovate, shortly hastate or sagittate.

Flowers:-

1) Solitary or sometimes paired, on long, slender peduncles.

2) Calyx teeth, subequal, longer than the tube.

3) Corolla, 10-15 mm, varying from cream to deep yellow.

Fruit:-

1) Legume, linear-oblong, brown, glabrous, l8-30 x 4-6 mm.

2) Seeds, c. 2.5 mm, smooth, hilum 1/10 of the circumference. often with small

purple dots.

Key features:-

1) Rhachis, forming a tendril.

2) Stipules, usually 10-25 mm, ovate, hastate.

3) Corolla, 10-15 mm, varying from cream to deep yellow.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Weed of traditional agriculture, but also in open dry shrubby vegetation,

meadows, open woodland and other semi-natural habitats. 0-700(-1200) m.

Distribution:- Widespread throughout the Mediterranean region and SW to C Asia..

Scattered across Crete not too frequent.

Flowering time:- Late Mar to May.

Photos by:- Steve Lenton