Lathyrus jepsonii

Lathyrus 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.[1]

Lathyrus jepsonii
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Subfamily: Faboideae
Genus: Lathyrus
Species:
L. jepsonii
Binomial name
Lathyrus jepsonii

This is a perennial herb with a long, winged stem which climbs by means of branched, coiled tendrils. The leaves are made up of several pairs of lance-shaped leaflets. The plant bears an inflorescence of up to 15 pink or purplish flowers each up to 2 centimeters wide. The fruit is a hairless, dehiscent legume pod.

There are two varieties of this species.

  • Lathyrus jepsonii var. californicus is a smaller plant which is sometimes hairy,
  • Lathyrus jepsonii var. jepsonii this rare variety can exceed two meters in height and is hairless, a rare variety which grows in the estuary habitat of the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, the origin of the common name delta tule pea.

References

  1. "Plants Profile for Lathyrus jepsonii". USDA Natural Resources Conservation Center Plants Database. Retrieved 17 January 2017.


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