Lathyrus jepsonii
Appearance
Lathyrus jepsonii | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Rosids |
Order: | Fabales |
Family: | Fabaceae |
Subfamily: | Faboideae |
Genus: | Lathyrus |
Species: | L. jepsonii
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Binomial name | |
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]
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
[edit]- ^ "Plants Profile for Lathyrus jepsonii". USDA Natural Resources Conservation Center Plants Database. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
External links
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