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

bushy vetchling, veiny pea, veiny peavine

Habit Herbs perennial, from rhizome, glabrous or pubescent. Herbs perennial, from rhizome, glabrous or pubescent.
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, 4–10 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.

6–18 cm;

tendrils well developed;

stipules lanceolate to linear, 10–20 × 2–10 mm, much smaller than distal leaflets (less than 1/4 width of distal leaflets);

leaflets 8–14, scattered, blades ovate to lanceolate, 25–70 × 10–35 mm, surfaces glabrous or pubescent.

Inflorescences

2–7-flowered, 3–15 cm.

5–20-flowered, 6–20 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 linear-triangular or lanceolate, shorter to longer than tube;

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

ovary glabrous or pubescent.

Legumes

25–60 × 4–8 mm.

20–50 × 3–7 mm.

2n

= 14.

Lathyrus palustris

Lathyrus venosus

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
North America
[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 3 (3 in the flora).

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

Key
1. Herbs sparsely to densely pubescent.
var. intonsus
1. Herbs glabrous.
→ 2
2. Calyces: lateral lobes linear-triangular, equal to or shorter than tubes.
var. venosus
2. Calyces: lateral lobes lanceolate, longer than tubes.
var. arkansanus
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. splendens, L. sulphureus, L. sylvestris, L. tingitanus, L. torreyi, L. tracyi, L. tuberosus, L. vestitus
Subordinate taxa
L. venosus var. arkansanus, L. venosus var. intonsus, L. venosus var. venosus
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) Muhlenberg ex Willdenow: Sp. Pl. 3: 1092. (1802)
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