Herbs perennial, from rhizome, glabrous. Stems broadly winged, sprawling or climbing, basally branched 1–5 times, 8–20 dm. Leaves 2–5 cm, rachises broadly winged; ten­drils well developed, branched; stipules lanceolate, 30–40 × 7–15 mm, at least 1/2 width of stem, much smaller than leaflets; leaflets 2, blades lanceolate-elliptic, 30–120 × 7–50 mm, surfaces glabrous. Inflorescences 5–15-flowered, 10–33 cm. Flowers 15–20 mm; calyx lobes unequal, lateral lobes linear-triangular, shorter than tube; corolla purple, magenta, pink, or white, banner erect, blade longer than claw, wings equal to keel; ovary densely glandular-pubescent, style rotated 90° from ovary axis. Legumes 50–110 × 5–10 mm. 2n = 14.

Phenology: Flowering May–Sep.
Habitat: Roadsides, disturbed areas.
Elevation: 50–2100 m.

Distribution

• Generated Map
• Legacy Map

Introduced; B.C., N.B., N.S., Ont., P.E.I., Que., Ala., Ariz., Ark., Calif., Colo., Conn., Del., D.C., Ga., Idaho, Ill., Ind., Iowa, Kans., Ky., La., Maine, Md., Mass., Mich., Minn., Miss., Mo., Mont., Nebr., Nev., N.H., N.J., N.Mex., N.Y., N.C., Ohio, Okla., Oreg., Pa., R.I., S.C., Tenn., Tex., Utah, Vt., Va., Wash., W.Va., Wis., Wyo., Europe, introduced also in Mexico, South America (Argentina, Chile, Uruguay), Asia (China, Japan), n, e, s Africa, Pacific Islands (Hawaii, New Zealand), Australia.

Discussion

Lathyrus latifolius is widely naturalized in North America and forms large thickets along roadsides, especially in the Pacific Coast states. M. J. W. Godt and J. L. Hamrick (1991) explored genetic variation within the species as it occurs in North America.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.