Lathyrus

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Plant genus in the pea family Fabaceae

title: "Lathyrus" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["lathyrus", "fabaceae-genera", "garden-plants", "botanical-taxa-named-by-carl-linnaeus"] description: "Plant genus in the pea family Fabaceae" topic_path: "general/lathyrus" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lathyrus" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Plant genus in the pea family Fabaceae ::

|image = Grass vetchling close 800.jpg |image_caption = Grass vetchling (Lathyrus nissolia) |display_parents = 2 |taxon = Lathyrus |authority = L. (1753), nom. cons. |subdivision_ranks = Species |subdivision = 181; see text |subdivision_ref = |synonyms =

  • Anurus C.Presl (1837)
  • Aphaca Mill. (1754)
  • Astrophia Nutt. (1838)
  • Athyrus Neck. (1790), opus utique oppr.
  • Cicercula Medik. (1787)
  • Clymenum Mill. (1754)
  • Graphiosa Alef. (1861)
  • Konxikas Raf. (1840)
  • Lastila Alef. (1861)
  • Lathyroides Heist. (1759), nom. superfl.
  • Lathyros St.-Lag. (1880), orth. var.
  • Menkenia Bubani (1899)
  • Navidura Alef. (1861)
  • Nissolia Mill. (1754), nom. rej.
  • Ochrus Mill. (1754)
  • Orobus L. (1753)
  • Oxypogon Raf. (1819)
  • Pisum L. (1753)
  • Platystylis Sweet (1828)
  • Spatulima Raf. (1837)
  • Vavilovia Fed. (1939) |synonyms_ref =

Lathyrus is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family Fabaceae, and contains approximately 160 species. Commonly known as peavines or vetchlings, 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. The genus has numerous synonyms, including Pisum, the ancient Latin name for the pea.

Species

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/03/Gleaner-a85.jpg" caption="Harvest of ''[[Lathyrus aphaca]]'' crop"] ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b6/Lathyrus_aureus0.jpg" caption="''[[Lathyrus aureus]]''"] ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8f/Lathyrus_clymenum.JPG" caption="''[[Lathyrus clymenum]]''"] ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/00/Lathyrus_davidii_2.jpg" caption="''[[Lathyrus davidii]]''"] ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ac/Lathyrus_latifolius_C.jpg" caption="''[[Lathyrus latifolius]]'' 'Pink Pearl'"] ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9e/Lathyrus_nevadensis_0873.JPG" caption="''[[Lathyrus nevadensis]]'' ssp. ''nevadensis''"] ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d0/Lathyrus_odoratus1.jpg" caption="''[[Lathyrus odoratus]]'', sweet pea mixture"] ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/42/Lathyrus_vernus_RF.jpg" caption="''[[Lathyrus vernus]]'', spring pea"] ::

181 species are currently accepted.

Ecology

Lathyrus species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species, including the grey chi (Antitype chi) and the latticed heath (Chiasmia clathrata), both recorded on meadow vetchling (Lathyrus pratensis), and Chionodes braunella. Lathyrus growth abundance and size both decrease in response to increased temperatures in montane meadows.

Uses

Several species are grown for food, including the pea (Lathyrus oleraceus), 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 for its starchy edible tuber. The seeds of some Lathyrus species contain the toxic amino acid oxalyldiaminopropionic acid and if eaten in large quantities can cause lathyrism, a serious disease.

Many species are cultivated as garden plants. The genus includes the garden sweet pea (Lathyrus odoratus) and the perennial everlasting pea (Lathyrus latifolius). Flowers 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 infections including downy and powdery mildew.

Notes

References

  1. {{GRIN genus
  2. [https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:30005985-2 ''Lathyrus'' L.] ''[[Plants of the World Online]]''. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
  3. ''Sunset Western Garden Book,'' 1995:606–607
  4. (March 1998). "Chloroplast DNA characters, phylogeny, and classification of ''Lathyrus'' (Fabaceae)". American Journal of Botany.
  5. (1932). "Root Nodule Bacteria and Leguminous Plants". UW-Madison Libraries Parallel Press.
  6. Gledhill, David (2008). "The Names of Plants". Cambridge University Press. {{ISBN. 9780521866453 (hardback), {{ISBN. 9780521685535 (paperback). pp 304
  7. link. (2008-10-14 Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN).)
  8. (2015). "English Names for Korean Native Plants". [[Korea National Arboretum]].
  9. (1 March 2001). "Plant Responses to Experimental Warming in a Montane Meadow". Ecology.
  10. Barrow, M. V.. (1974). "Lathyrism: A Review". The Quarterly Review of Biology.

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