Lathyrus
Lathyrus is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family Fabaceae, and contains approximately 160 species. Commonly known as peavines or vetchlings, they are native to temperate areas, with a breakdown of 52 species in Europe, 30 species in North America, 78 in Asia, 24 in tropical East Africa, and 24 in temperate South America. There are annual and perennial species which may be climbing or bushy. This genus has numerous sections, including Orobus, which was once a separate genus. The genus has numerous synonyms, including Pisum, the ancient Latin name for the pea. Uses Several species are grown for food, including the pea (Lathyrus oleraceus), Indian pea (L. sativus), and the red pea (L. cicera), and less commonly cyprus-vetch (L. ochrus) and Spanish vetchling (L. clymenum). The tuberous pea (L. tuberosus) is grown as a root vegetable for its starchy edible tuber. The seeds of some Lathyrus species contain the toxic amino acid oxalyldiaminopropionic acid and if eaten in large quantities can cause lathyrism, a serious disease. Many species are cultivated as garden plants. The genus includes the garden sweet pea (Lathyrus odoratus) and the perennial everlasting pea (Lathyrus latifolius). Flowers on these cultivated species may be rose, red, maroon, pink, white, yellow, purple or blue, and some are bicolored. They are also grown for their fragrance. Cultivated species are susceptible to fungal infections including downy and powdery mildew. Species 181 species are currently accepted. Lathyrus acutifolius Lathyrus alamutensis Lathyrus alpestris Lathyrus amphicarpos Lathyrus angulatus – angled pea Lathyrus anhuiensis Lathyrus annuus – red fodder pea Lathyrus apenninus Lathyrus aphaca – yellow pea Lathyrus armenus Lathyrus articulatus Lathyrus atropatanus Lathyrus aureus – golden pea Lathyrus basalticus Lathyrus bauhini Lathyrus belinensis Lathyrus berteroanus Lathyrus biflorus – twoflower pea Lathyrus bijugus – drypark pea Lathyrus binatus Lathyrus bitlisicus Lathyrus blepharicarpos – ciliate vetchling Lathyrus boissieri Lathyrus brachycalyx – Bonneville pea Lathyrus brachyodon Lathyrus brachypterus Lathyrus brownii Lathyrus cabrerianus Lathyrus campestris Lathyrus cassius Lathyrus caudatus Lathyrus chloranthus Lathyrus chrysanthus Lathyrus cicera – red pea Lathyrus ciliatidentatus Lathyrus cilicicus Lathyrus ciliolatus Lathyrus cirpicii Lathyrus cirrhosus Lathyrus clymenum – Spanish vetchling Lathyrus colchicus Lathyrus crassipes – arvejilla Lathyrus cyaneus Lathyrus czeczottianus Lathyrus davidii Lathyrus decaphyllus – prairie vetchling Lathyrus delnorticus – Del Norte pea Lathyrus dielsianus Lathyrus digitatus Lathyrus elegans Lathyrus elongatus Lathyrus emodi Lathyrus eucosmus – seemly vetchling, bush vetchling Lathyrus filiformis Lathyrus fissus Lathyrus formosus – Vavilovia Lathyrus frolovii Lathyrus fulvus Lathyrus glandulosus Lathyrus gloeosperma Lathyrus gmelinii Lathyrus golanensis Lathyrus gorgoni Lathyrus graminifolius – grassleaf pea Lathyrus grandiflorus – twoflower everlasting pea Lathyrus grimesii – Grimes' pea Lathyrus hallersteinii Lathyrus hasslerianus Lathyrus heterophyllus – Norfolk everlasting pea Lathyrus hierosolymitanus Lathyrus hirsutus – hairy vetchling Lathyrus hirticarpus Lathyrus hitchcockianus – Bullfrog Mountain pea Lathyrus holochlorus – thinleaf pea Lathyrus hookeri Lathyrus humilis Lathyrus hygrophilus Lathyrus inconspicuus Lathyrus incurvus Lathyrus japonicus – sea pea, beach pea Lathyrus jepsonii – delta tule pea Lathyrus karsianus Lathyrus ketzkhovelii Lathyrus komarovii Lathyrus krylovii Lathyrus laetivirens – aspen pea Lathyrus laevigatus Lathyrus lanszwertii – Nevada pea Lathyrus