''Lathyrus'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants th ...

s in the

legume A legume () is a plant in the family Fabaceae (or Leguminosae), or the fruit or seed of such a plant. When used as a dry grain, the seed is also called a pulse. Legumes are grown agriculturally, primarily for human consumption, for livestock f ...

family

Fabaceae The Fabaceae or Leguminosae,International Code of Nomenc ...

, and contains approximately 160 species. Commonly known as peavines or vetchlings, they are

native Native may refer to: People * Jus soli, citizenship by right of birth * Indigenous peoples, peoples with a set of specific rights based on their historical ties to a particular territory ** Native Americans (disambiguation) In arts and entert ...

temperate In geography, the temperate climates of Earth occur in the middle latitudes (23.5° to 66.5° N/S of Equator), which span between the tropics and the polar regions of Earth. These zones generally have wider temperature ranges throughout t ...

areas, with a breakdown of 52 species in Europe, 30 species in North America, 78 in Asia, 24 in tropical East Africa, and 24 in temperate South America. There are annual and

perennial A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wide ...

species which may be climbing or bushy. This genus has numerous sections, including ''Orobus'', which was once a separate genus.

Uses

Many species are cultivated as garden plants. The genus includes the garden

sweet pea The sweet pea, ''Lathyrus odoratus'', is a flowering plant in the genus ''Lathyrus'' in the family Fabaceae ( legumes), native to Sicily, southern Italy and the Aegean Islands. It is an annual climbing plant, growing to a height of , where sui ...

(''Lathyrus odoratus'') and the

everlasting pea (''Lathyrus latifolius'').

Flower A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Angiospermae). The biological function of a flower is to facilitate reproduction, usually by providing a mechani ...

s on these cultivated species may be rose, red, maroon, pink, white, yellow, purple or blue, and some are bicolored. They are also grown for their fragrance. Cultivated species are susceptible to

fungal A fungus ( : fungi or funguses) is any member of the group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and molds, as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as a kingdom, separately from th ...

infections including downy and powdery mildew. Other species are grown for food, including the Indian pea (''L. sativus'') and the red pea (''L. cicera''), and less commonly cyprus-vetch (''L. ochrus'') and Spanish vetchling (''L. clymenum''). The tuberous pea (''L. tuberosus'') is grown as a

root vegetable Root vegetables are underground plant parts eaten by humans as food. Although botany distinguishes true roots (such as taproots and tuberous roots) from non-roots (such as bulbs, corms, rhizomes, and tubers, although some contain both hypocotyl a ...

for its starchy edible

tuber Tubers are a type of enlarged structure used as storage organs for nutrients in some plants. They are used for the plant's perennation (survival of the winter or dry months), to provide energy and nutrients for regrowth during the next growing ...

. The

seed A seed is an embryonic plant enclosed in a protective outer covering, along with a food reserve. The formation of the seed is a part of the process of reproduction in seed plants, the spermatophytes, including the gymnosperm and angiospe ...

s of some ''Lathyrus'' species contain the toxic

amino acid Amino acids are organic compounds that contain both amino and carboxylic acid functional groups. Although hundreds of amino acids exist in nature, by far the most important are the alpha-amino acids, which comprise proteins. Only 22 alpha am ...

oxalyldiaminopropionic acid Oxalyldiaminopropionic acid (ODAP) is a structural analogue of the neurotransmitter glutamate found in the grass pea ''Lathyrus sativus''. It is the neurotoxin responsible for the motor neuron degeneration syndrome lathyrism. Sources ODAP is foun ...

and if eaten in large quantities can cause

lathyrism Lathyrism is a condition caused by eating certain legumes of the genus ''Lathyrus''. There are three types of lathyrism: ''neurolathyrism'', ''osteolathyrism'', and ''angiolathyrism'', all of which are incurable, differing in their symptoms and ...

, a serious disease.

Diversity

Species include:GRIN Species Records of ''Lathyrus''.
Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). *'' Lathyrus alpestris'' *''

Lathyrus angulatus ''Lathyrus angulatus'' is a species of Lathyrus, wild pea known by the common name angled pea. It is native to southern Europe and North Africa, and it is known from elsewhere as an introduced species. This is an annual herb with a flanged, ha ...

'' – angled pea *''

Lathyrus annuus ''Lathyrus annuus'', the annual vetchling, is a species of annual herb in the family Fabaceae. They are climbers and are associated with freshwater habitat. They have broad leaves. Individuals can grow to 37 cm tall. Sources References ...

'' – red fodder pea *''

Lathyrus aphaca ''Lathyrus aphaca'', known as the yellow pea or yellow vetchling, is an annual species in the family Fabaceae with yellow flowers and solitary, pea-like fruits. It originated in the Middle East and has spread throughout Europe and beyond as a ...

'' – yellow pea *'' Lathyrus aureus'' – golden pea *''

Lathyrus basalticus ''Lathyrus'' is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family Fabaceae, and contains approximately 160 species. Commonly known as peavines or vetchlings, they are native to temperate areas, with a breakdown of 52 species in Europe, 30 species ...

'' *'' Lathyrus bauhinii'' *''

Lathyrus belinensis ''Lathyrus belinensis'', also known as the Belin pea is a flowering plant species in the genus ''Lathyrus'' under the Family (biology), family Fabaceae. The species was discovered in Turkey by botanists Nigel Maxted and David John Goyder and was ...

'' *'' Lathyrus biflorus'' – twoflower pea *'' Lathyrus bijugatus'' – drypark pea *'' Lathyrus blepharicarpus'' – ciliate vetchling *'' Lathyrus boissieri'' *'' Lathyrus brachycalyx'' – Bonneville pea *''

Lathyrus cassius ''Lathyrus'' is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family Fabaceae, and contains approximately 160 species. Commonly known as peavines or vetchlings, they are native species, native to temperate areas, with a breakdown of 52 species in Eu ...

'' *'' Lathyrus chloranthus'' *'' Lathyrus cicera'' – red pea *''

Lathyrus ciliolatus ''Lathyrus'' is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family Fabaceae, and contains approximately 160 species. Commonly known as peavines or vetchlings, they are native to temperate areas, with a breakdown of 52 species in Europe, 30 spec ...

'' *''

Lathyrus cirrhosus ''Lathyrus'' is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family Fabaceae, and contains approximately 160 species. Commonly known as peavines or vetchlings, they are native to temperate areas, with a breakdown of 52 species in Europe, 30 species ...

'' *'' Lathyrus clymenum'' – Spanish vetchling *''

Lathyrus crassipes ''Lathyrus'' is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family Fabaceae, and contains approximately 160 species. Commonly known as peavines or vetchlings, they are native to temperate areas, with a breakdown of 52 species in Europe, 30 species ...

'' – ''arvejilla'' *'' Lathyrus cyaneus'' *'' Lathyrus davidii'' *'' Lathyrus decaphyllus'' – prairie vetchling *'' Lathyrus delnorticus'' – Del Norte pea *''

Lathyrus digitatus ''Lathyrus'' is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family Fabaceae, and contains approximately 160 species. Commonly known as peavines or vetchlings, they are native to temperate areas, with a breakdown of 52 species in Europe, 30 species ...

'' *'' Lathyrus eucosmus'' – seemly vetchling, bush vetchling *'' Lathyrus filiformis'' *'' Lathyrus gloeospermus'' *'' Lathyrus gorgoni'' *'' Lathyrus graminifolius'' – grassleaf pea *'' Lathyrus grandiflorus'' – twoflower everlasting pea *'' Lathyrus grimesii'' – Grimes' pea *'' Lathyrus heterophyllus'' – Norfolk everlasting pea *'' Lathyrus hirsutus'' – hairy vetchling *''

Lathyrus hitchcockianus ''Lathyrus'' is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family Fabaceae, and contains approximately 160 species. Commonly known as peavines or vetchlings, they are native to temperate areas, with a breakdown of 52 species in Europe, 30 species ...

'' – Bullfrog Mountain pea *'' Lathyrus holochlorus'' – thinleaf pea *'' Lathyrus hygrophilus'' *'' Lathyrus inconspicuus'' *'' Lathyrus incurvus'' *''

Lathyrus japonicus ''Lathyrus japonicus'', the sea pea, beach pea, circumpolar pea or sea vetchling, is a species of flowering plant in the legume family Fabaceae, native to temperate coastal areas of the Northern Hemisphere and Argentina. It is a herbaceous per ...

'' – sea pea, beach pea *'' Lathyrus jepsonii'' – delta tule pea *'' Lathyrus laetivirens'' – aspen pea *'' Lathyrus laevigatus'' *'' Lathyrus lanszwertii'' – Nevada pea *''

Lathyrus latifolius ''Lathyrus latifolius'', the perennial peavine, perennial pea, broad-leaved everlasting-pea, or just everlasting pea, is a robust, sprawling herbaceous perennial flowering plant in the pea family Fabaceae. It is native to Europe but is present on ...

'' – everlasting pea, perennial pea *''

Lathyrus laxiflorus ''Lathyrus'' is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family Fabaceae, and contains approximately 160 species. Commonly known as peavines or vetchlings, they are native to temperate areas, with a breakdown of 52 species in Europe, 30 species ...

'' *'' Lathyrus libani'' – Lebanon vetchling *'' Lathyrus linifolius'' – bitter vetch, heath pea *''

Lathyrus littoralis ''Lathyrus littoralis'' is a species of wild pea known by the common name silky beach pea. It is native to the coastline of western North America from British Columbia to California. It is a resident of beaches and dunes. This is a perennial he ...

'' – silky beach pea *''

Lathyrus macropus ''Lathyrus'' is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family Fabaceae, and contains approximately 160 species. Commonly known as peavines or vetchlings, they are native to temperate areas, with a breakdown of 52 species in Europe, 30 species ...

'' *'' Lathyrus magellanicus'' *'' Lathyrus nervosus'' – Lord Anson's blue pea *'' Lathyrus nevadensis'' – Sierra pea *'' Lathyrus niger'' – black pea *''

Lathyrus nissolia ''Lathyrus nissolia'', the grass vetchling or grass pea, is a species of flowering plant in the pea and bean family Fabaceae. It is native to most of Europe, Maghreb, Levant and the Caucasus. Despite its common names, it is not a grass, but belo ...

'' – grass vetchling *'' Lathyrus nudicaulis'' *'' Lathyrus ochroleucus'' – cream pea *''

Lathyrus ochrus ''Lathyrus ochrus'', the Cyprus vetch, is a species of annual herb in the family Fabaceae. They are climbers and have compound, broad leaves. Flowers are visited by Old World swallowtails and '' Oxythyrea funesta''. Sources References {{T ...

'' – Cyprus-vetch *''

Lathyrus odoratus The sweet pea, ''Lathyrus odoratus'', is a flowering plant in the genus ''Lathyrus'' in the family Fabaceae (legumes), native to Sicily, southern Italy and the Aegean Islands. It is an annual climbing plant, growing to a height of , where suita ...

'' – sweet pea *''

Lathyrus palustris ''Lathyrus palustris'' is a species of wild pea known by the common name marsh pea. It is native to Europe, Asia, and North America. It is a perennial herb with leaves made up of oval-shaped or oblong leaflets a few centimeters long. It has bran ...

'' – marsh pea *'' Lathyrus pannonicus'' *'' Lathyrus pauciflorus'' – fewflower pea *'' Lathyrus pisiformis'' *'' Lathyrus polyphyllus'' – leafy pea *''

Lathyrus pratensis ''Lathyrus pratensis'' or meadow vetchling, yellow pea, meadow pea and meadow pea-vine, is a perennial legume that grows to 1.2 m in height. The hermaphrodite flowers are pollinated by bees. As a perennial, this plant reproduces itself over m ...

'' – meadow vetchling *'' Lathyrus pseudocicera'' *'' Lathyrus pubescens'' *'' Lathyrus pusillus'' – tiny pea, singletary vetchling *'' Lathyrus quinquenervius'' *''

Lathyrus rigidus ''Lathyrus rigidus'' is a species of wild pea known by the common name stiff pea. It is native to the Modoc Plateau and surrounding areas in the western United States from northeastern California to Idaho. It is a plant of the sagebrush scrub an ...

'' – stiff pea *'' Lathyrus roseus'' *'' Lathyrus sativus'' – Indian pea, white pea, chickling vetch *''

Lathyrus sphaericus ''Lathyrus sphaericus'' is a species of wild pea known by the common names grass pea and round-seeded vetchling. It is native to Eurasia and much of Africa, and it is known on other continents as an introduced species. It can grow in many types ...

'' – grass pea *'' Lathyrus splendens'' – pride of California *''

Lathyrus sulphureus ''Lathyrus sulphureus'' is a species of wild pea known by the common names snub pea and sulphur pea. It is native to the mountains of northern California and Oregon, where it grows in forest and woodland. Description ''Lathyrus sulphureus'' is ...

'' – snub pea *'' Lathyrus sylvestris'' – flat pea *'' Lathyrus szowitsii'' *'' Lathyrus tingitanus'' – Tangier pea *'' Lathyrus torreyi'' – Torrey's peavine *''

Lathyrus tuberosus ''Lathyrus tuberosus'' (also known as the tuberous pea, tuberous vetchling, earthnut pea, aardaker, or tine-tare) is a small, climbing perennial plant, native in moist temperate parts of Europe and Western Asia. The plant is a trailer or weak cl ...

'' – tuberous pea *''

Lathyrus undulatus ''Lathyrus undulatus'', also known as wavy pea, is a flowering plant in the genus ''Lathyrus'', which is in the family Fabaceae. It is native to Turkey, specifically the northwest slopes of Trabzon, Rize, Bolu, Bursa, Sakarya; as well as Crimea, ...

'' – wavy pea *'' Lathyrus vaniotii'' – Korean mountain vetchling *'' Lathyrus venetus'' *'' Lathyrus venosus'' – veiny pea, bushy vetchling *'' Lathyrus vernus'' – spring pea *''

Lathyrus vestitus ''Lathyrus vestitus'' is a species of wild pea known by the common name Pacific pea. It is native to western North America, where it is mostly found in the forests, woodlands, and chaparral of California. The ranges of some subspecies extend int ...

'' – Pacific pea *'' Lathyrus vinealis'' *'' Lathyrus whitei''

Ecology

''Lathyrus'' species are used as food plants by the

larva A larva (; plural larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle. The ...

e of some

Lepidoptera Lepidoptera ( ) is an order (biology), order of insects that includes butterfly, butterflies and moths (both are called lepidopterans). About 180,000 species of the Lepidoptera are described, in 126 Family (biology), families and 46 Taxonomic r ...

species, including the

grey chi The grey chi (; ''Antitype chi'') is a moth of the family Noctuidae. The species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of ''Systema Naturae''. It is distributed throughout Europe, although it is not present in southern S ...

(''Antitype chi'') and the

latticed heath The latticed heath (''Chiasmia clathrata'') is a moth of the family Geometridae, belonging to the subfamily Ennominae, placed in the tribe Macariini. The genus was erected by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of ''Systema Naturae''. Taxon ...

(''Chiasmia clathrata''), both recorded on

meadow vetchling ''Lathyrus pratensis'' or meadow vetchling, yellow pea, meadow pea and meadow pea-vine, is a perennial legume that grows to 1.2 m in height. The hermaphrodite flowers are pollinated by bees. As a perennial, this plant reproduces itself over man ...

(''Lathyrus pratensis''), and ''

Chionodes braunella ''Chionodes braunella'' is a moth in the family Gelechiidae. It is found in North America, where it has been recorded from Alberta and British Columbia to Colorado, Arizona, California and to Washington, southern Ontario and Maine. The larvae f ...

''.

Notes

External links

*
Calflora Database: ''Lathyrus'' species index

Jepson Flora Project: Key to ''Lathyrus''
{{Taxonbar, from=Q157209 Fabaceae genera Garden plants Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus