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

few-flower pea, few-flower pea-vine, few-flower vetchling

Habit Herbs perennial, from rhizome, glabrous or pubescent. Herbs perennial, from rhizome or thickened rootstock, glabrous.
Stems

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

angled, erect, sprawling, or climbing, basally branched 1–3 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.

6–9 cm;

tendrils well developed;

stipules ovate to lanceolate, 15–25 × 5–11 mm, much smaller than leaflets;

leafets 6–10, scattered, blades lanceolate to linear or ovate, 20–80 × 2–35 mm, surfaces glabrous.

Inflorescences

2–7-flowered, 3–15 cm.

4–13-flowered, 5–18 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.

12–20 mm;

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

corolla pale blue-lavender to purple, banner erect, blade longer than claw, wings longer than keel, (by 1–4 mm);

ovary glabrous.

Legumes

25–60 × 4–8 mm.

30–50 × 5–10 mm.

2n

= 14.

Lathyrus palustris

Lathyrus pauciflorus

Phenology Flowering Apr–Aug.
Habitat Coastal and inland wetlands.
Elevation 0–1800 m. (0–5900 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 USDA
w United States
[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.)

Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).

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

Key
1. Leaflet blades lanceolate to linear, width less than 1/2 length.
var. pauciflorus
1. Leaflet blades ovate, width equal to or greater than 1/2 length.
var. utahensis
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. ochroleucus, L. odoratus, L. palustris, 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
Subordinate taxa
L. pauciflorus var. pauciflorus, L. pauciflorus var. utahensis
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
Name authority Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 2: 733. (1753) Fernald: Bot. Gaz. 19: 335. (1894)
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