LATHYRUS NISSOLIA

Family and Genus:- See- LEGUMINOSAE

Common Names:- Grass vetchling

Homotypic Synonyms:- None

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

Nissolia (L) For Guillaume Nissole (1647-1735), botanist of Montpellier.

General description:- Slender erect, annual. Subglabrous to densely hairy, but

hairs short, subappressed and inconspicuous.

Stem:-

1) 15-40 cm, angled unwinged.

Leaves:-

1) Reduced to grass-like phyllodes, without leaflets or tendril.

2) Stipules, 0·5-2 mm, filiform.

Flowers:-

1) Peduncle, erecto-patent, usually shorter than the leaves, filiform. 1(-2)-flowered.

2) Calyx teeth, usually shorter than the tube.

3) Corolla, bright pink to crimson, variable in size (8-18 mm).

Fruit:-

1) Legume, broadly linear, 2-4 mm wide, puberulent or rarely glabrous.

2) Seeds, 11-16, sparsely papillose.

Key features:-

1) Leaf, reduced to a grass-like phyllode.

2) Stipules, narrow and inconspicuous.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Damp meadows and open woodland. 0-1300 m.

Distribution:- Throughout mainland Greece, widespread in C. Europe, the

Mediterranean area and SW. Asia to N. Iran. Previously unrecorded from Crete.

probably introduced. Discovered by Steve Lenton on the Lasithi plateau 2018

Flowering time:- Apr-June.

Photos by:- Steve Lenton