CHAPTER XII 



LEGUMINOSAE — Continued 



PISUM SATIVUM 



GENERAL MORPHOLOGY 



T 



HE pea is an herbaceous annual with a trailing, climbing, 

 or bushy habit; and 



the mature stem is dwarf 

 or tall depending upon the 

 variety. The pinnately 

 compound leaves are alter- 

 nately arranged, and the 

 glaucous, oval to ovate 

 leaflets are in one to three 

 pairs with the terminal 

 leaflet, and occasionally 

 the upper lateral ones, 

 differentiated as prehensile 

 tendrils which serve to 

 support the plant. (Fig. 

 171.) At the base of the 

 petiole are two stipules 

 which frequently equal the 

 leaflets in size. The leaves 

 at the first and second 

 nodes above the cotyledon- 

 ary node develop as small 

 trifid bracts. (Fig. lyx.) 



The root system consists 

 of a main tap root with 

 numerous laterals which 

 may penetrate to a depth 

 of 4 or more feet depending 

 upon the character of the 



Fig. 171. 

 teristics. 



339 



Habit of plant showing leaf charac- 

 (Courtesy of the Ferry-Morse Seed Co.) 



