Hedysarum

''Hedysarum'' (sweetvetch) is a genus of the botanical family Fabaceae, consisting of about 200 species of annual or perennial herbs in Asia, Europe, North Africa, and North America.

Description

Species within genus ''Hedysarum'' may be herbaceous plants or deciduous shrubs. They have odd-pinnate leaves, with entire leaflets (no notches or indentations). These leaves resemble the leaves of sweet peas. The stipules may be free or connate, and stipels (secondary stipules) are absent.

The inflorescences are peduncled racemes or heads. Bracts are small, with bracteoles below the calyx, and calyx teeth subequal. The petals may be pink, purplish, yellow, or whitish. Vexillum is longer than the wings, with an obtuse keel longer or rarely shorter than the wings. Stamens are diadelphous, 9+1, and anthers uniform. Ovary is 2-8-ovuled. Fruit is a lomentum, with segments that are glabrous, pubescent, bristly, or spiny, and break into single-seeded sections on ripening.Tropicos
/ref>

Uses

''Hedysarum'' species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera (moth and butterfly) species including '' Coleophora accordella''. Some species, such as ''Hedysarum alpinum'' also known as Alpine sweetvetch or wild potato, were eaten by the Inuit to help ward off the effects of scurvy due to it being rich in vitamin C, containing about 21 mg/100g. Charles Darwin also called the telegraph plant a ''Hedysarum''.

In his book '' Into the Wild'', Jon Krakauer speculated that Christopher McCandless may have died from eating seeds of ''H. alpinum'', which Krakauer thought might contain swainsonine. This theory was later debunked by experts in the field of botany. Krakauer subsequently postulated that the seeds were stored wet in a plastic bag, which may have created a toxic by-product.

Krakauer was later validated, to a certain extent. Krakauer explains that he came across the research of Ronald Hamilton, who had concluded that the neurotoxin oxalyldiaminopropionic acid (ODAP) in the wild potato seed was responsible for a degenerative disease known as lathyrism. In August 2013, Krakauer sent a modest sample of the seeds for testing, discovering that they contained ".394 per cent beta-ODAP by weight, a concentration well within the levels known to cause lathyrism in humans." Krakauer concludes that "Had McCandless's guidebook to edible plants warned that ''Hedysarum alpinum'' seeds contain a neurotoxin that can cause paralysis, he probably would have walked out of the wild in late August with no more difficulty than when he walked into the wild in April, and would still be alive today."Jon Krakaue
How Chris McCandless Died
/ref> Later, a more detailed mass spectrometric analysis showed, that the poison in ''Hedysarum alpinum'' is L-canavanine instead of ODAP.

Wildlife

The roots are a major food for grizzly bears.

Species

The following species are accepted by ''The Plant List'':

*'' Hedysarum aculeatum'' Golosk.
*'' Hedysarum aculeolatum'' Boiss.
*''Hedysarum acutifolium'' Bajtenov
*'' Hedysarum alaicum'' B.Fedtsch.
*'' Hedysarum algidum'' L.Z.Shue
*''Hedysarum alpinum'' L.
*'' Hedysarum amankutanicum'' B.Fedtsch.
*'' Hedysarum angrenicum'' Korotkova
*'' Hedysarum argyreum'' Greuter & Burdet
*'' Hedysarum argyrophyllum'' Ledeb.
*'' Hedysarum armenum'' Boiss. & Tchich.
*'' Hedysarum astragaloides'' Benth.
*'' Hedysarum atropatanum'' Boiss.
*'' Hedysarum austrokurilense'' (N.S.Pavlova) N.S.Pavlova
*'' Hedysarum austrosibiricum'' B.Fedtsch.
*'' Hedysarum baicalense'' B.Fedtsch.
*'' Hedysarum balchanense'' Boriss.
*'' Hedysarum baldshuanicum'' B.Fedtsch.
*'' Hedysarum bectauatavicum'' Bajtenov
*'' Hedysarum bellevii'' (Prain) Bornm.
*'' Hedysarum biebersteinii'' Zertova
*'' Hedysarum bordzilovskyi'' Grossh.
*'' Hedysarum boreale'' Nutt.
*'' Hedysarum boutignyanum'' (A.Camus) Alleiz.
*'' Hedysarum boveanum'' Basiner
*'' Hedysarum brachypterum'' Bunge
*'' Hedysarum brahuicum'' Boiss.
*'' Hedysarum branthii'' Trautv. & C.A.Mey.
*'' Hedysarum bucharicum'' B.Fedtsch.
*'' Hedysarum cachemirianum'' Baker
*'' Hedysarum callithrix'' Boiss.
*'' Hedysarum campylocarpon'' H.Ohashi
*'' Hedysarum candidum'' M.Bieb.
*'' Hedysarum cappadocicum'' Boiss.
*'' Hedysarum carnosum'' Desf.
*'' Hedysarum caucasicum'' M.Bieb.
*'' Hedysarum chaitocarpum'' Regel & Schmalh.
*'' Hedysarum chaiyrakanicum'' Kurbatski
*'' Hedysarum chalchorum'' N.Ulziykh.
*'' Hedysarum chantavicum'' Bajtenov
*'' Hedysarum chinense'' (B.Fedtsch.) Hand.-Mazz.
*'' Hedysarum cisbaicalense'' Malyschev
*'' Hedysarum cisdarvasicum'' Kamelin
*'' Hedysarum citrinum'' Baker f.
*'' Hedysarum consanguineum'' DC.
*''Hedysarum coronarium'' L.
*'' Hedysarum cretaceum'' DC.
*'' Hedysarum criniferum'' Boiss.
*''Hedysarum cumuschtanicum'' Sultanova
*'' Hedysarum daghestanicum'' Boiss.
*'' Hedysarum dahuricum'' B.Fedtsch.
*'' Hedysarum damghanicum'' Rech.f.
*'' Hedysarum daraut-kurganicum'' Sultanova
*'' Hedysarum dasycarpum'' Turcz.
*'' Hedysarum dentatoalatum'' K.T.Fu
*'' Hedysarum denticulatum'' Regel & Schmalh.
*'' Hedysarum dmitrievae'' Bajtenov
*'' Hedysarum drobovii'' Korotkova
*'' Hedysarum dshambulicum'' Pavlov
*'' Hedysarum elbursense'' Bornm. & Gauba
*'' Hedysarum elegans'' Boiss. & A.Huet
*'' Hedysarum elymaiticum'' Boiss. & Hausskn.
*'' Hedysarum enaffae'' Sultanova
*'' Hedysarum falconeri'' Baker
*'' Hedysarum fallacinum'' Rech.f. & Aellen
*'' Hedysarum farinosum'' Parsa
*'' Hedysarum ferganense'' Korsh.
*'' Hedysarum fistulosum'' Hand.-Mazz.
*'' Hedysarum flavescens'' Regel & Schmalh.
*'' Hedysarum flavum'' Rupr.
*'' Hedysarum flexuosum'' L.
*'' Hedysarum formosum'' Basiner
*'' Hedysarum fruticosum'' Pall.
*'' Hedysarum gmelinii'' Ledeb.
*'' Hedysarum grandiflorum'' Pall.
*'' Hedysarum gypsaceum'' Korotkova
*'' Hedysarum halophilum'' Bornm. & Gauba
*'' Hedysarum hedysaroides'' (L.) Schinz & Thell.
*'' Hedysarum hemithamnoides'' Korotkova
*'' Hedysarum hyrcanum'' Bornm. & Gauba
*'' Hedysarum ibericum'' M.Bieb.
*'' Hedysarum iliense'' B.Fedtsch.
*'' Hedysarum inundatum'' Turcz.
*'' Hedysarum iomuticum'' B.Fedtsch.
*'' Hedysarum jaxarticum'' Popov
*'' Hedysarum jaxartucirdes'' Y. Liu ''ex'' R. Sa
*'' Hedysarum jinchuanense'' L.Z.Shue
*'' Hedysarum kamcziraki'' Karimova
*'' Hedysarum kamelinii'' N.Ulziykh.
*'' Hedysarum kandyktassicum'' Bajtenov
*'' Hedysarum karataviense'' B.Fedtsch.
*'' Hedysarum kasteki'' Bajtenov
*'' Hedysarum kemulariae'' Sachokia & Chinth.
*'' Hedysarum kirghisorum'' B.Fedtsch.
*'' Hedysarum kopetdaghi'' Boriss.
*'' Hedysarum korshinskyanum'' B.Fedtsch.
*'' Hedysarum kotschyi'' Boiss.
*'' Hedysarum krasnovii'' B.Fedtsch.
*'' Hedysarum krylovii'' Sumnev.
*'' Hedysarum kudrjaschevii'' Korotkova
*'' Hedysarum kuhitangi'' Boriss.
*'' Hedysarum kumaonense'' Baker
*'' Hedysarum latibracteatum'' N.S.Pavlova
*'' Hedysarum lehmannianum'' Bunge
*'' Hedysarum leucanthum'' (Greene) Greene
*'' Hedysarum limitaneum'' Hand.-Mazz.
*'' Hedysarum linczevskyi'' Bajtenov
*'' Hedysarum lipskianum'' L.I.Vassiljeva
*'' Hedysarum lipskyi'' B.Fedtsch.
*'' Hedysarum longigynophorum'' C.C.Ni
*'' Hedysarum macedonicum'' Bornm.
*'' Hedysarum mackenzii'' Richardson
*'' Hedysarum macranthum'' Freyn & Sint.
*'' Hedysarum macrocarpum'' Korotkova
*'' Hedysarum magnificum'' Kudr.
*'' Hedysarum mahrense'' Rech.f.
*'' Hedysarum maitlandianum'' Aitch. & Baker
*'' Hedysarum manaslense'' (Kitam.) H.Ohashi
*'' Hedysarum membranaceum'' Coss. & Balansa
*'' Hedysarum microcalyx'' Baker
*'' Hedysarum micropterum'' Boiss.
*'' Hedysarum mindshilkense'' Bajtenov
*'' Hedysarum minjanense'' Rech.f.
*'' Hedysarum minussinense'' B.Fedtsch.
*'' Hedysarum mogianicum'' (B.Fedtsch.) B.Fedtsch.
*'' Hedysarum monophyllum'' Boriss.
*'' Hedysarum montanum'' (B.Fedtsch.) B.Fedtsch.
*'' Hedysarum multijugum'' Maxim.
*'' Hedysarum nagarzense'' C.C.Ni
*'' Hedysarum narynense'' Nikitina
*'' Hedysarum naudinianum'' Coss. & Durieu
*'' Hedysarum neglectum'' Ledeb.
*'' Hedysarum nikolai'' Kovalevsk.
*'' Hedysarum nonnae'' Roskov
*'' Hedysarum nuratense'' Popov
*'' Hedysarum occidentale'' Greene
*'' Hedysarum olgae'' B.Fedtsch.
*'' Hedysarum omissum'' Korotkova ''ex'' Kovalevsk.
*'' Hedysarum ovczinnikovii'' Karimova
*'' Hedysarum pallidiflorum'' Pavlov
*'' Hedysarum pallidum'' Desf.
*'' Hedysarum papillosum'' Boiss.
*'' Hedysarum parviflorum'' Bajtenov
*'' Hedysarum parvum'' Sultanova
*'' Hedysarum pavlovii'' Bajtenov
*'' Hedysarum perrauderianum'' Coss. & Durieu
*'' Hedysarum petrovii'' Yakovlev
*'' Hedysarum plumosum'' Boiss. & Hausskn.
*'' Hedysarum polybotrys'' Hand.-Mazz.
*'' Hedysarum popovii'' Korotkova
*'' Hedysarum praticolum'' Rech.f.
*'' Hedysarum pseudastragalus'' Ulbr.
*'' Hedysarum pseudomicrocalyx'' H.Ohashi & Tateishi
*'' Hedysarum pskemense'' B.Fedtsch.
*'' Hedysarum pulchrum'' Nikitina
*'' Hedysarum razoumovianum'' DC.
*'' Hedysarum renzii'' Rech.f.
*'' Hedysarum roseum'' Sims
*'' Hedysarum sachalinense'' B.Fedtsch.
*'' Hedysarum sajanicum'' N.Ulziykh.
*'' Hedysarum sangilense'' Krasnob. & Timokhina
*'' Hedysarum santalaschi'' B.Fedtsch.
*'' Hedysarum sauzakense'' Rech.f.
*'' Hedysarum schischkinii'' Sumnev.
*'' Hedysarum scoparium'' Fisch. & C.A.Mey.
*'' Hedysarum semenovii'' Regel & Herder
*'' Hedysarum sericatum'' Kitam.
*'' Hedysarum sericeum'' M.Bieb.
*'' Hedysarum setigerum'' Fisch. & C.A.Mey.
*'' Hedysarum setosum'' Vved.
*'' Hedysarum severzovii'' Bunge
*'' Hedysarum sikkimense'' Baker
*'' Hedysarum singarense'' Boiss. & Hausskn.
*'' Hedysarum songoricum'' Bong.
*'' Hedysarum spinosissimum'' L.
*'' Hedysarum splendens'' DC.
*'' Hedysarum subglabrum'' (Kar. & Kir.) B.Fedtsch.
*''Hedysarum sulphurescens'' Rydb.
*'' Hedysarum taipeicum'' (Hand.-Mazz.) K.T.Fu
*'' Hedysarum talassicum'' Nikitina & Sultanova
*'' Hedysarum tanguticum'' B.Fedtsch.
*'' Hedysarum taschkendicum'' Popov
*'' Hedysarum tauricum'' Willd.
*'' Hedysarum tenuifolium'' (B.Fedtsch.) B.Fedtsch.
*'' Hedysarum theinum'' Krasnob.
*'' Hedysarum thiochroum'' Hand.-Mazz.
*'' Hedysarum tibeticum'' (Benth.) B.H. Choi & H. Ohashi
*'' Hedysarum trigonomerum'' Hand.-Mazz.
*'' Hedysarum truncatum'' Eastw.
*'' Hedysarum turczaninovii'' Peschkova
*'' Hedysarum turkestanicum'' Regel & Schmalh.
*'' Hedysarum turkewiczii'' B.Fedtsch.
*'' Hedysarum ucrainicum'' Kaschm.
*'' Hedysarum varium'' Willd.
*'' Hedysarum vicioides'' Turcz.
*'' Hedysarum volkii'' Rech.f.
*'' Hedysarum vvedenskyi'' Korotkova
*'' Hedysarum wakhanicum'' Podlech & Anderson
*'' Hedysarum wrightianum'' Aitch. & Baker
*'' Hedysarum xizangensis'' C.C.Ni
*'' Hedysarum zundukii'' Peschkova

References

External links

Global Biodiversity Information Facility entry

Zipcodezoo entry

{{Taxonbar, from=Q148973

Hedysareae
Fabaceae genera