Lathyrus
Encyclopedia
Lathyrus is a genus
of flowering plant
species known as sweet peas and vetchlings. Lathyrus is in the legume family Fabaceae
and contains approximately 160 species. They are native to temperate
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
species which may be climbing or bushy. This genus has numerous sections, including Orobus, which was once a separate genus.
(Lathyrus odoratus) and the perennial
everlasting pea
(Lathyrus latifolius). Flower
s on these cultivated species may be rose, red, maroon, pink, white, yellow, purple or blue and some are bicolored; they are also fragrant, which makes them a very popular garden plant. Cultivated species are susceptible to fungal infections including downy and powdery mildew
. Lathyrus species are used as food plants by the larva
e of some Lepidoptera
species including Grey Chi
, Latticed Heath
(both recorded on Meadow Vetchling
) and Chionodes braunella
.
and L. cicera, and less commonly L. ochrus and L. clymenum. L. tuberosus
is grown as a root vegetable
for its starchy edible tuber
.
The seed
s of some Lathyrus species contain the toxic amino acid
oxalyldiaminopropionic acid
and if eaten in large quantities can cause lathyrism
, a serious disease.
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of flowering plant
Flowering plant
The flowering plants , also known as Angiospermae or Magnoliophyta, are the most diverse group of land plants. Angiosperms are seed-producing plants like the gymnosperms and can be distinguished from the gymnosperms by a series of synapomorphies...
species known as sweet peas and vetchlings. Lathyrus is in the legume family Fabaceae
Fabaceae
The Fabaceae or Leguminosae, commonly known as the legume, pea, or bean family, is a large and economically important family of flowering plants. The group is the third largest land plant family, behind only the Orchidaceae and Asteraceae, with 730 genera and over 19,400 species...
and contains approximately 160 species. They are native to temperate
Temperate
In geography, temperate or tepid latitudes of the globe lie between the tropics and the polar circles. The changes in these regions between summer and winter are generally relatively moderate, rather than extreme hot or cold...
areas, with a breakdown of 52 species in Europe, 30 species in North America, 78 in Asia, 24 in tropical East Africa
East Africa
East Africa or Eastern Africa is the easterly region of the African continent, variably defined by geography or geopolitics. In the UN scheme of geographic regions, 19 territories constitute Eastern Africa:...
, and 24 in temperate South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
. There are annual
Annual plant
An annual plant is a plant that usually germinates, flowers, and dies in a year or season. True annuals will only live longer than a year if they are prevented from setting seed...
and perennial
Perennial plant
A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives for more than two years. The term is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter lived annuals and biennials. The term is sometimes misused by commercial gardeners or horticulturalists to describe only herbaceous perennials...
species which may be climbing or bushy. This genus has numerous sections, including Orobus, which was once a separate genus.
Genus
The genus includes the garden sweet peaSweet pea
Sweet pea is a flowering plant in the genus Lathyrus in the family Fabaceae , native to the eastern Mediterranean region from Sicily east to Crete....
(Lathyrus odoratus) and the perennial
Perennial plant
A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives for more than two years. The term is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter lived annuals and biennials. The term is sometimes misused by commercial gardeners or horticulturalists to describe only herbaceous perennials...
everlasting pea
Everlasting pea
Lathyrus latifolius, the perennial peavine, perennial pea or everlasting pea, is a flowering plant of the genus Lathyrus in the legume family Fabaceae. It is native to Europe but is present on other continents, such as North America, where it is an introduced species.- Morphology :L...
(Lathyrus latifolius). Flower
Flower
A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants . The biological function of a flower is to effect reproduction, usually by providing a mechanism for the union of sperm with eggs...
s on these cultivated species may be rose, red, maroon, pink, white, yellow, purple or blue and some are bicolored; they are also fragrant, which makes them a very popular garden plant. Cultivated species are susceptible to fungal infections including downy and powdery mildew
Mildew
Mildew refers to certain kinds of molds or fungi.In Old English, it meant honeydew , and later came to mean mildew in the modern sense of mold or fungus....
. Lathyrus species are used as food plants by the larva
Larva
A larva 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...
e of some Lepidoptera
Lepidoptera
Lepidoptera is a large order of insects that includes moths and butterflies . It is one of the most widespread and widely recognizable insect orders in the world, encompassing moths and the three superfamilies of butterflies, skipper butterflies, and moth-butterflies...
species including Grey Chi
Grey Chi
The Grey Chi is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is distributed throughout Europe. Although it is not present in southern Spain and Greece, as well as northern Fennoscandia...
, Latticed Heath
Latticed Heath
The Latticed Heath is a moth of the family Geometridae. It is found throughout Europe, the Near East and North Africa. It is a fairly common species in the British Isles....
(both recorded on Meadow Vetchling
Meadow vetchling
Lathyrus pratensis or Meadow vetchling, also known as the Meadow Pea and Meadow pea-vine, is a perennial legume that grows to 1.2 m in height....
) and Chionodes braunella
Chionodes
Chionodes is a genus of moths of the family Gelechiidae. Members of this group can be found in most parts of the world. Many species of this genus utilize Douglas-fir as a host plant for their larvae.-Species:Species in this genus include:...
.
Other species
Other species are grown for food, including L. sativusLathyrus sativus
Lathyrus sativus, is a legume commonly grown for human consumption and livestock feed in Asia and East Africa. It is a particularly important crop in areas that are prone to drought and famine, and is thought of as an 'insurance crop' as it produces reliable yields when all other crops...
and L. cicera, and less commonly L. ochrus and L. clymenum. L. tuberosus
Lathyrus tuberosus
Lathyrus tuberosus, also known as the Tuberous Pea, Tuberous Vetchling, Earthnut Pea, or Aardaker, is a small, climbing perennial plant, native in moist temperate parts of Europe and Western Asia....
is grown as a root vegetable
Root vegetable
Root vegetables are plant roots used as vegetables. Here "root" means any underground part of a plant.Root vegetables are generally storage organs, enlarged to store energy in the form of carbohydrates. They differ in the concentration and the balance between sugars, starches, and other types of...
for its starchy edible tuber
Tuber
Tubers are various types of modified plant structures that are enlarged to store nutrients. They are used by plants to survive the winter or dry months and provide energy and nutrients for regrowth during the next growing season and they are a means of asexual reproduction...
.
The seed
Seed
A seed is a small embryonic plant enclosed in a covering called the seed coat, usually with some stored food. It is the product of the ripened ovule of gymnosperm and angiosperm plants which occurs after fertilization and some growth within the mother plant...
s of some Lathyrus species contain the toxic amino acid
Amino acid
Amino acids are molecules containing an amine group, a carboxylic acid group and a side-chain that varies between different amino acids. The key elements of an amino acid are carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen...
oxalyldiaminopropionic acid
Oxalyldiaminopropionic acid
Oxalyldiaminopropionic acid is the neurotoxin responsible for lathyrism.-See also:* β-Methylamino-L-alanine, a related toxin...
and if eaten in large quantities can cause lathyrism
Lathyrism
Lathyrism or Neurolathyrism is a neurological disease of humans and domestic animals, caused by eating certain legumes of the genus Lathyrus...
, a serious disease.
Selected species
- Lathyrus angulatusLathyrus angulatusLathyrus angulatus is a species of 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, hairless stem. Each leaf is made up of two leaflike leaflets each a few...
(Angled Pea) - Lathyrus annuus (Red Fodder Pea)
- Lathyrus aphacaLathyrus aphacaLathyrus aphaca is a legume known as the yellow pea or yellow vetch. It is native to southern Europe, parts of Asia, and North Africa. Some consider it to be a weed, particularly when in areas where it is an introduced species, including northern Europe and North America...
(Yellow Pea) - Lathyrus aureus (Golden Pea)
- Lathyrus biflorusLathyrus biflorusLathyrus biflorus is a rare species of wild pea known by the common name twoflower pea. It is endemic to Humboldt County, California, where it is known only from the Mount Lassic Wilderness. It is a member of the serpentine soils flora. This is a petite perennial herb growing thin, tough, fuzzy...
(Twoflower Pea) - Lathyrus bijugatusLathyrus bijugatusLathyrus bijugatus is a species of flowering plant in the legume family known by the common names drypark pea, pinewoods sweetpea, and Latah tule-pea...
(Drypark Pea) - Lathyrus chloranthus
- Lathyrus ciceraLathyrus ciceraLathyrus cicera is a species of wild pea known by the common names red pea and flatpod peavine. It is native to Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East, and it is known from other places as an introduced species. This is a hairless annual herb producing a slightly winged stem. The leaves are each...
(Red Pea) - Lathyrus delnorticusLathyrus delnorticusLathyrus delnorticus is an uncommon species of wild pea known by the common name Del Norte pea. It is native to the Klamath Mountains of southern Oregon and northern California, where it is a member of the serpentine soils flora. This is a hairless perennial herb producing a winged or flanged stem...
(Del Norte Pea) - Lathyrus hirsutusLathyrus hirsutusLathyrus hirsutus is a species of wild pea known by several common names, including Caley pea, hairy vetchling, and Austrian winterpea. It is native to Europe, North Africa, and much of Asia, and it is known from other continents, including North America, as an introduced species...
(Hairy Vetchling) - Lathyrus japonicusLathyrus japonicusLathyrus japonicus is a legume native to temperate coastal areas of Asia, Europe, North and South America....
(Sea Pea) - Lathyrus jepsoniiLathyrus jepsoniiLathyrus jepsonii is a species of wild pea known by the common names delta tule pea and Jepson's pea. It is endemic to California, where it grows in a number of habitat types, including forest and estuary....
(Delta Tule Pea) - Lathyrus lanszwertiiLathyrus lanszwertiiLathyrus lanszwertii is a species of sweet pea known by the common names Nevada sweet pea or peavine. It is found in western North America from California to Texas to British Columbia. It is a tender vining perennial which bears lavender, fuchsia, or white pea flowers, and pods containing inedible...
(Nevada Pea) - Lathyrus latifoliusEverlasting peaLathyrus latifolius, the perennial peavine, perennial pea or everlasting pea, is a flowering plant of the genus Lathyrus in the legume family Fabaceae. It is native to Europe but is present on other continents, such as North America, where it is an introduced species.- Morphology :L...
(Everlasting Pea) - Lathyrus laevigatusLathyrus laevigatusLathyrus laevigatus is a flowering plant of the genus Lathyrus in the legume family Fabaceae. It is native to middle, eastern, and southeastern Europe.- References :* Allkin, R. et al. 1986. Vicieae Database Project 7:19....
- Lathyrus linifoliusLathyrus linifoliusLathyrus linifolius is a species of pea, commonly called Bitter Vetch or Heath Pea. It was formerly used as an appetite suppressant in medieval Scotland, and this use has brought it to recent medical attention...
(Bitter Vetch/Heath Pea) - Lathyrus littoralisLathyrus littoralisLathyrus 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....
(Silky Beach Pea) - Lathyrus nervosus (Lord Anson's Blue Pea)
- Lathyrus nissoliaLathyrus nissoliaLathyrus nissolia or Grass Vetchling is a plant species of the genus Lathyrus. It is native to the British Isles and North West Europe....
(Grass Vetchling) - Lathyrus odoratusSweet peaSweet pea is a flowering plant in the genus Lathyrus in the family Fabaceae , native to the eastern Mediterranean region from Sicily east to Crete....
(Sweet Pea) - Lathyrus palustrisLathyrus palustrisLathyrus 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 branched, coiled tendrils. The plant bears an inflorescence of...
(Marsh Pea) - Lathyrus pauciflorus (Fewflower Pea)
- Lathyrus polyphyllusLathyrus polyphyllusLathyrus polyphyllus is a species of wild pea known by the common name leafy pea. It is native to the western United States from Washington to northern California, where it grows in forest and other habitat. This is a perennial herb with long leaves each made up of many pairs of oval-shaped...
(Leafy Pea) - Lathyrus pratensis (Meadow Vetchling)
- Lathyrus rigidusLathyrus rigidusLathyrus 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 and other habitat in the region. This is a perennial herb...
(Stiff Pea) - Lathyrus sativusLathyrus sativusLathyrus sativus, is a legume commonly grown for human consumption and livestock feed in Asia and East Africa. It is a particularly important crop in areas that are prone to drought and famine, and is thought of as an 'insurance crop' as it produces reliable yields when all other crops...
(Indian Pea) - Lathyrus sphaericusLathyrus sphaericusLathyrus sphaericus is a species of wild pea known by the common name grass pea. 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 of habitat, including disturbed areas...
(Grass Pea) - Lathyrus splendensLathyrus splendensLathyrus splendens is a species of wild pea known by the common names pride of California and Campo pea. It is native to Baja California and its range extends into San Diego County, California, where it grows in the chaparral. This is a climbing perennial pea vine with coiling tendrils...
(Pride of California) - Lathyrus sulphureusLathyrus sulphureusLathyrus 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. This is a hairless perennial herb with leaves made up of many oval-shaped leaflets each up to 4...
(Snub Pea) - Lathyrus sylvestrisLathyrus sylvestrisLathyrus sylvestris or Narrow-leaved Everlasting-pea is a plant species of the genus Lathyrus....
(Flat Pea-vine) - Lathyrus tingitanusLathyrus tingitanusLathyrus tingitanus is a species of wild pea known by the common name Tangier pea. It is native to southern Europe and North Africa, and it is present in other regions of the world as an introduced species, including the Pacific Northwest of the United States. This is an annual herb producing a...
(Tangier Pea) - Lathyrus torreyiLathyrus torreyiLathyrus torreyi is a perennial legume native to wooded regions of the West Coast of the United States. It ranges from as far north as Pierce County, Washington and south to Monterey, California. It sprouts bluish flowers that range from 8 to 13 millimeters in length.-Sources:* Beidleman, Linda...
(Torrey's Peavine) - Lathyrus tuberosusLathyrus tuberosusLathyrus tuberosus, also known as the Tuberous Pea, Tuberous Vetchling, Earthnut Pea, or Aardaker, is a small, climbing perennial plant, native in moist temperate parts of Europe and Western Asia....
(Tuberous Pea) - Lathyrus vestitusLathyrus vestitusLathyrus 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 into Oregon and Baja California. This is a perennial pea vine...
(Pacific Pea) - Lathyrus vernusLathyrus vernusLathyrus vernus , is a species of herbaceous perennial plants in the genus Lathyrus, native to forests of Europe and Siberia....
(Spring Pea)