Yellow peas
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''Lathyrus aphaca'', known as the yellow
pea The pea is most commonly the small spherical seed or the seed-pod of the flowering plant species ''Pisum sativum''. Each pod contains several peas, which can be green or yellow. Botanically, pea pods are fruit, since they contain seeds and d ...
or yellow vetchling, is an annual species in the family
Fabaceae The Fabaceae or Leguminosae,International Code of Nomenc ...
with yellow flowers and solitary, pea-like fruits. It originated in the
Middle East The Middle East ( ar, الشرق الأوسط, ISO 233: ) is a geopolitical region commonly encompassing Arabian Peninsula, Arabia (including the Arabian Peninsula and Bahrain), Anatolia, Asia Minor (Asian part of Turkey except Hatay Pro ...
and has spread throughout
Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...
and beyond as a weed of cultivated fields and roadsides. The fruits are eaten as a supplement to diets in some parts of
South Asia South Asia is the southern subregion of Asia, which is defined in both geographical and ethno-cultural terms. The region consists of the countries of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.;;;;;;;; ...
but are narcotic and potentially toxic in large quantities.


Description

''Lathyrus aphaca'', known as the yellow
pea The pea is most commonly the small spherical seed or the seed-pod of the flowering plant species ''Pisum sativum''. Each pod contains several peas, which can be green or yellow. Botanically, pea pods are fruit, since they contain seeds and d ...
or yellow vetchling, is an annual species in the family
Fabaceae The Fabaceae or Leguminosae,International Code of Nomenc ...
(formerly Leguminosae). Plants grow to about 100 cm tall, are pale green to glaucous, glabrous, and have angled but unwinged stems. The leaves are reduced to simple (unbranched) tendrils and what look like leaves are actually stipules, which are ovate-hastate in shape and up to 50 mm long. The flowers are usually solitary and yellow (often streaked with violet), 10–13 mm in length, and held on long (up to 50 mm) stalks branching from the leaf axils. The flowers, which are bisexual, have 10 stamens and 1 style. ''Lathyrus aphaca'' is diploid, with 14 chromosomes.


Distribution and habitat

It is believed to have evolved in the
Middle East The Middle East ( ar, الشرق الأوسط, ISO 233: ) is a geopolitical region commonly encompassing Arabian Peninsula, Arabia (including the Arabian Peninsula and Bahrain), Anatolia, Asia Minor (Asian part of Turkey except Hatay Pro ...
, around
Syria Syria ( ar, سُورِيَا or سُورِيَة, translit=Sūriyā), officially the Syrian Arab Republic ( ar, الجمهورية العربية السورية, al-Jumhūrīyah al-ʻArabīyah as-Sūrīyah), is a Western Asian country loc ...
and
Jordan Jordan ( ar, الأردن; tr. ' ), officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan,; tr. ' is a country in Western Asia. It is situated at the crossroads of Asia, Africa, and Europe, within the Levant region, on the East Bank of the Jordan Rive ...
, along with other leguminous species which have a centre of diversity in that region. Edible species of pea were first cultivated in the
Fertile Crescent The Fertile Crescent ( ar, الهلال الخصيب) is a crescent-shaped region in the Middle East, spanning modern-day Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Palestine and Jordan, together with the northern region of Kuwait, southeastern region of ...
, while weeds such as ''L. aphaca'' are believed to have adapted naturally to an arable or similar human-disturbed habitat between about 23,000 and 11,000 years ago. ''Lathyrus aphaca'' itself has some advantages as a farmland weed, being able to fix nitrogen and thus help to fertilise the soil, as well as being edible in small quantities if present in the grain harvest, although it is
narcotic The term narcotic (, from ancient Greek ναρκῶ ''narkō'', "to make numb") originally referred medically to any psychoactive compound with numbing or paralyzing properties. In the United States, it has since become associated with opiates ...
when consumed in larger amounts. The native habitat of ''L. aphaca'' is most likely to be the dry, limestone scrubland in the Middle East sometimes known as phrygana or
garrigue Garrigue or garigue ( ), also known as phrygana ( el, φρύγανα , n. pl.), is a type of low scrubland ecoregion and plant community in the Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub biome. It is found on limestone soils in southern Fra ...
. In these countries it is found in both wild and cultivated habitats. It can be an aggressive agricultural weed, infesting mainly wheat, but also other crops, such as
sugarcane Sugarcane or sugar cane is a species of (often hybrid) tall, Perennial plant, perennial grass (in the genus ''Saccharum'', tribe Andropogoneae) that is used for sugar Sugar industry, production. The plants are 2–6 m (6–20 ft) tall with ...
in
Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...
. The expansion of farming over the last 10,000 years allowed ''L. aphaca'' to increase its range to southern Asia, as far as
Bangladesh Bangladesh (}, ), officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the eighth-most populous country in the world, with a population exceeding 165 million people in an area of . Bangladesh is among the mos ...
, and southern Europe as far as
Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...
and even the
Azores ) , motto =( en, "Rather die free than subjected in peace") , anthem= ( en, "Anthem of the Azores") , image_map=Locator_map_of_Azores_in_EU.svg , map_alt=Location of the Azores within the European Union , map_caption=Location of the Azores wi ...
. In these regions it is often considered native, but it is more likely that it is an ancient introduction, or
archaeophyte An archaeophyte is a plant species which is non-native to a geographical region, but which was an introduced species in "ancient" times, rather than being a modern introduction. Those arriving after are called neophytes. The cut-off date is usua ...
, which has found a natural or semi-natural analogue of its phrygana habitat, where it can persist in the wild. In Portugal it is considered native only in the Calcareous Western Centre biome, despite being present throughout the country as an agricultural weed. It is more likely that it is a well-established archaeophyte there. In northern Europe, ''L. aphaca'' has not generally found any semi-natural analogue of its native arid scrub habitat. In
Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populous ...
it is described as occurring ‘in a different type of habitats, e.g. in the vegetation of forest edges representing the ''Trifolio-Geranietea sanguinei'' class, on dry lawns, transport route edges (especially along railway lines), in orchards, arable fields and fallows.' Since the early 20th century, it has gone into decline throughout Europe due to improved seed cleaning techniques, and it has largely been eradicated from cereal crops. In the
Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
, it has declined by 75-100% since 1950, and in Germany and Poland there is a similar story. Meanwhile, however, it has become established as an agricultural weed further afield, in the United States, South Africa and Australia (GBIF, 2021).


In the United Kingdom

In Britain, ''L. aphaca'' has been recorded since 1632, when it was found by Thomas Johnson ‘near Gravesend.’ This is sufficiently early to earn it a place as either a native or a long-naturalised arable weed (
archaeophyte An archaeophyte is a plant species which is non-native to a geographical region, but which was an introduced species in "ancient" times, rather than being a modern introduction. Those arriving after are called neophytes. The cut-off date is usua ...
), as opposed to a recent introduction
neophyte A neophyte is a recent Initiation, initiate or Religious conversion, convert to a subject or belief. Neophyte may also refer to: Science * Neophyte (botany), a plant species recently introduced to an area As a proper noun Arts and entertainme ...
. In the absence of any further information, therefore, British authors are free to describe it as a native or an introduced plant as they choose. A semi-natural habitat suggests that it is native, whereas an arable field says ‘archaeophyte’. Roadsides are difficult to interpret, and there are many weeds of roadsides which are considered native in various regions across Britain despite the obvious route of introduction. This uncertainty is nicely summed up by Rumsey, who writes ‘ tmay be a long-established introduction rather than a native species… and may have been introduced as a seed contaminant of leguminous crops.’ It is, however, usually treated as native and it is classified as VU (Vulnerable) in the Red List. In 2021
Natural England Natural England is a non-departmental public body in the United Kingdom sponsored by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. It is responsible for ensuring that England's natural environment, including its land, flora and fauna, ...
designated Swanscombe Peninsula in Kent a
Site of Special Scientific Interest A Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in Great Britain or an Area of Special Scientific Interest (ASSI) in the Isle of Man and Northern Ireland is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom and Isle of ...
, partly for its population of yellow vetchling.


References


External links

*
Jepson Manual Treatment

USDA Plants Profile
* aphaca Edible legumes Flora of Europe Flora of Poland Flora of Serbia Flora of North Africa Flora of Western Asia Flora of Lebanon Plants described in 1753 Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus {{Fabeae-stub