Herbs perennial, from rhizome, glabrate. Stems angled, sprawl­ing, basally branched 0–3 times, 4–30 dm. Leaves 5–8 cm; ten­drils well developed; stipules lanceolate to linear, 10–20 × 2–8 mm, much smaller than leaflets; leaflets 6–10, scattered, blades ovate to linear, 20–40 × 3–15 mm, surfaces glabrous throughout or sparsely pubescent abaxially. Inflorescences 6–10-flowered, 4–16 cm. Flowers 25–30 mm; calyx lobes unequal, lateral lobes deltate, shorter than tube; corolla deep wine red, banner reflexed against calyx tube, blade much longer than claw, wings equal to keel; ovary glandular-pubescent. Legumes 50–80 × 5–9 mm. 2n = 14.

Phenology: Flowering Mar–May.
Habitat: Chaparral.
Elevation: 50–1500 m.

Distribution

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Calif., Mexico (Baja California).

Discussion

Morphological similarities between Lathyrus splendens and L. vestitus var. alefeldii (R. V. Bradshaw 1925; C. L. Hitchcock 1952) are such that these two taxa might be considered a parent-offspring species pair worthy of an evolutionary study of factors involved in their origin. Lathyrus splendens is known from the South Coast and Peninsular Ranges.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.