Lathyrus littoralis
Repert. Bot. Syst. 1: 722. 1842.
Common names: Gray beach or silky beach pea
Endemic
Basionym: Astrophia littoralis Nuttall in J. Torrey and A. Gray Fl. N. Amer. 1: 278. 1838
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 11.
Herbs perennial, from rhizome, cinereous and densely villous throughout. Stems angled, sprawling, basally branched 0–4 times, 1–4 dm. Leaves 1–3 cm; tendrils flattened bristles; stipules ovate to lanceolate, 10–27 × 5–12 mm, often larger than leaflets; leaflets 4 or 6, paired, blades obovate to oblanceolate, 10–20 × 4–8 mm, surfaces densely villous. Inflorescences 4–8-flowered, 3–10 cm. Flowers 13–15 mm; calyx lobes equal, lateral lobes deltate, equal to or shorter than tube; corolla dark purple, banner erect, blade longer than claw, wings longer than keel; ovary densely pubescent. Legumes 20–30 × 9–13 mm. 2n = 28.
Phenology: Flowering Apr–Jun.
Habitat: Coastal sand dunes, deflation plain interdune areas.
Elevation: 0–15 m.
Distribution
B.C., Calif., Oreg., Wash.
Discussion
Selected References
None.
Lower Taxa
None.