LATHYRUS CICERA

Family and Genus:- See- LEGUMINOSAE

Common Name:- Flat-podded vetchling

Homotypic Synonyms:- Cicercula cicera, Pisum rubrum.

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

Cicera The old Latin name, cicer, for chick pea.

General description:- Short to tall Subglabrous climbing, annual.

Stem:-

1) 15-50 cm, often branched from the base, weak and slender, narrowly winged.

Leaves:-

1) Alternate, leaflets 1(-2) pairs, 10-90(-110) x 1-6(-15) mm, linear to lanceolate.

2) Stipules, semi-sagittate; tendril ± branched.

Flowers:-

1) Solitary.

2) Peduncles, 10-30 mm, filiform. articulated near the middle or apex.

3) Calyx teeth, subequal, triangular-lanceolate, 2-3 times as long as the tube.

4) Corolla, (5-)10-14(-20) mm, crimson, orange or brick red.

Fruit:-

1) Legume, 20-40 x 5-10 mm, brown, glabrous, with 2 keels on the dorsal suture.

2) Seeds, 2-6, smooth; hilum 1/13 of the circumference.

Key features:-

1) Legume, with 2 keels on the dorsal suture.

2) Peduncles, 10-30 mm.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Dry, meadows, open scrub, fallow fields, olive groves and vineyards. 0-800

(-1300) m.

Distribution:- Common throughout Greece and the Mediterranean region and

Anatolia, eastwards to Afghanistan and C Asia. Fairly widespread across Crete.

Flowering time:- Mostly Apr-May.

Photos by:- Steve Lenton