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gesse des marais, marsh pea, marsh peavine, marsh vetchling

cream pea, cream vetchling, cream-flower peavine, cream-flower sweet pea, creamy peavine, pale vetchling

Habit Herbs perennial, from rhizome, glabrous or pubescent. Herbs perennial, from rhizome, glabrous except calyx ciliate.
Stems

narrowly to broadly winged, sprawling or climbing, basally branched 0–4 times, 2–10 dm.

angled, sprawling or climbing, basally branched 0–3 times, 3–8 dm.

Leaves

1–6 cm;

tendrils well developed;

stipules ovate-lanceolate to linear, 5–25 × 1–10 mm, much smaller than leaflets;

leaflets 4–8, paired, blades lanceolate to linear, 15–75 × 2–20 mm, surfaces glabrous, glabrate, or pubescent.

(2–)3–10 cm;

tendrils well developed;

stipules somewhat foliose, ovate-lanceolate, 15–35 × 5–20 mm, sometimes equal to distal leaflets;

leaflets (5 or)6(–8), usually paired, blades broadly ovate to lanceolate, (20–)25–65 × 10–35(–42) mm, surfaces glabrous.

Inflorescences

2–7-flowered, 3–15 cm.

4–10(–13)-flowered, 3–12 cm.

Flowers

10–15 mm;

calyx lobes unequal, lateral lobes deltate, shorter than tube;

corolla blue-purple, banner erect, blade equal to claw, wings equal to keel;

ovary glandular-pubescent.

10–15 mm;

calyx lobes unequal, lateral lobes lanceolate, usually longer than tube;

corolla cream-white, banner erect, blade longer than claw, wings equal to keel;

ovary glabrous.

Legumes

25–60 × 4–8 mm.

30–70 × 4–7 mm.

2n

= 14.

= 14.

Lathyrus palustris

Lathyrus ochroleucus

Phenology Flowering Apr–Aug. Flowering Apr–Jul.
Habitat Coastal and inland wetlands. Moist woodlands, clearings, thickets, glades, meadows.
Elevation 0–1800 m. (0–5900 ft.) 0–1500 m. (0–4900 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AK; AL; AR; CA; CO; CT; DC; DE; IA; IL; IN; KY; MA; MD; ME; MI; MN; MO; NC; ND; NE; NH; NJ; NY; OH; OR; PA; RI; SD; TN; VA; VT; WA; WI; WV; BC; MB; NB; NL; NS; NU; ON; PE; QC; SK; SPM
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AK; IA; ID; IL; IN; MI; MN; MT; ND; NE; NJ; NY; OH; PA; SD; VT; WA; WI; WV; WY; AB; BC; MB; NT; NU; ON; QC; SK; YT
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Morphological variation within Lathyrus palustris is extensive. Although the most distinctive forms (see synonyms) have been accorded formal nomenclatural recognition (M. L. Fernald 1911; C. L. Hitchcock 1952), intergradation among these mostly sympatric ecotypes is widespread (D. Isely 1998). In Nunavut, it is known only from Akimiski Island in James Bay.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 11. FNA vol. 11.
Parent taxa Fabaceae > subfam. Faboideae > Lathyrus Fabaceae > subfam. Faboideae > Lathyrus
Sibling taxa
L. angulatus, L. aphaca, L. biflorus, L. brachycalyx, L. brownii, L. cicera, L. decaphyllus, L. delnorticus, L. eucosmus, L. glandulosus, L. graminifolius, L. grimesii, L. hirsutus, L. hitchcockianus, L. holochlorus, L. japonicus, L. jepsonii, L. laetivirens, L. lanszwertii, L. latifolius, L. littoralis, L. nevadensis, L. nissolia, L. ochroleucus, L. odoratus, L. pauciflorus, L. polyphyllus, L. pratensis, L. pusillus, L. rigidus, L. sphaericus, L. splendens, L. sulphureus, L. sylvestris, L. tingitanus, L. torreyi, L. tracyi, L. tuberosus, L. venosus, L. vestitus
L. angulatus, L. aphaca, L. biflorus, L. brachycalyx, L. brownii, L. cicera, L. decaphyllus, L. delnorticus, L. eucosmus, L. glandulosus, L. graminifolius, L. grimesii, L. hirsutus, L. hitchcockianus, L. holochlorus, L. japonicus, L. jepsonii, L. laetivirens, L. lanszwertii, L. latifolius, L. littoralis, L. nevadensis, L. nissolia, L. odoratus, L. palustris, L. pauciflorus, L. polyphyllus, L. pratensis, L. pusillus, L. rigidus, L. sphaericus, L. splendens, L. sulphureus, L. sylvestris, L. tingitanus, L. torreyi, L. tracyi, L. tuberosus, L. venosus, L. vestitus
Synonyms L. myrtifolius, L. palustris var. linearifolius, L. palustris var. macranthus, L. palustris var. myrtifolius, L. palustris subsp. pilosus, L. palustris var. pilosus, L. palustris var. retusus L. nevadensis subsp. stipulaceus
Name authority Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 2: 733. (1753) Hooker: Fl. Bor.-Amer. 1: 159. (1831)
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