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

campo pea, pride-of-California

Habit Herbs perennial, from rhizome, glabrous or pubescent. Herbs perennial, from rhizome, glabrate.
Stems

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

angled, sprawling, basally branched 0–3 times, 4–30 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.

5–8 cm;

tendrils well developed;

stipules lanceolate to linear, 10–20 × 2–8 mm, much smaller than leaflets;

leaflets 6–10, scattered, blades ovate to linear, 20–40 × 3–15 mm, surfaces glabrous throughout or sparsely pubescent abaxially.

Inflorescences

2–7-flowered, 3–15 cm.

6–10-flowered, 4–16 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.

25–30 mm;

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

corolla deep wine red, banner reflexed against calyx tube, blade much longer than claw, wings equal to keel;

ovary glandular-pubescent.

Legumes

25–60 × 4–8 mm.

50–80 × 5–9 mm.

2n

= 14.

= 14.

Lathyrus palustris

Lathyrus splendens

Phenology Flowering Apr–Aug. Flowering Mar–May.
Habitat Coastal and inland wetlands. Chaparral.
Elevation 0–1800 m. (0–5900 ft.) 50–1500 m. (200–4900 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
CA; Mexico (Baja California)
[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.)

Morphological similarities between Lathyrus splendens and L. vestitus var. alefeldii (R. V. Bradshaw 1925; C. L. Hitchcock 1952) are such that these two taxa might be considered a parent-offspring species pair worthy of an evolutionary study of factors involved in their origin. Lathyrus splendens is known from the South Coast and Peninsular Ranges.

(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. ochroleucus, L. odoratus, L. palustris, L. pauciflorus, L. polyphyllus, L. pratensis, L. pusillus, L. rigidus, L. sphaericus, 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
Name authority Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 2: 733. (1753) Kellogg: Proc. Calif. Acad. Sci. 7: 90. (1877)
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