Herbs annual. Stems erect, sprawling, or climbing, robust, 3–8 dm. Leaves 4–8 cm; tendrils rudimentary or branched; stip­ules foliose, approaching leaflets in size, semisagittate, with nec­tariferous patch abaxially; leaf­lets 10–20, blades obovate or oblong-elliptic to linear, 5–20 × 2–6 mm, apex obtuse to truncate-emarginate, surfaces pilose. Inflorescences 2–4-flowered, 0–1 cm. Flowers 14–20 mm; calyx base symmetric, lobes unequal, abaxial lobe subequal to tube; corolla cream, sometimes with purplish tinge, banner oblong, blade subequal to claw, pubescent adaxially; style compressed abaxially, pubes­cent apically, tufted abaxially. Legumes purple to black, elliptic, 20–30 × 7–11 mm, oblique-tipped, vil­lous; stipe to 1–2 mm. Seeds 2–8, purplish, sometimes spotted black, globose to strongly flatted, 3–5 mm diam.; hilum whitish, linear, encircling 1/6–1/4 circum­ference of seed. 2n = 12.

Phenology: Flowering Apr–Jun.
Habitat: Pastures, meadows, roadsides.
Elevation: 0–500 m.

Distribution

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Introduced; Ark., Calif., Conn., Ga., Idaho, N.C., Oreg., Wash., c Europe.

Discussion

Vicia pannonica is cultivated for forage and as a seed crop and has become locally established, particularly in Pacific Coast states.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.