Lathyrus. LEGUMINOS^. 157 



3. LATHYRUS. Linn. ; Endl. gen. 6582. VETCHLISG. 



[ From the Greek, lathuros, a leguminous plant described by Thoophrastus.] 



Calyx campanulate, 5-clcft ; llic two upper segments somewhat shortest. Style usually 

 somewhat flattened and dilated towards the summit, bent nearly at a right angle with the 

 ovary, pubescent or villous along the inside (next the free stamen). Legume oblong, several- 

 seeded. — Mostly perennial, climbing herbs. Leaflets in from one to several pairs. Petioles 

 terminating in tendrils. Peduncles axillary. 



1. Lathyrus maritimus, Bigel. Sea-side Vetchling. Beach Pea. 



Plant usually smooth ; stem stout, at length decumbent ; leaflets 4-6 pairs, oval or slightly 

 ohovale ; stipules cordate-hastate, nearly tlie size of the leaflets ; peduncles 6 - 10-flowered, 

 rather shorter than the leaves ; segments of the calyx hairy on the margin, the two upper ones 

 triangular and shorter, the others lanceolate. — Bigel. fl. Bost. p. 268 ; Hook. Brit.fl. ed. 4. 

 p. 270 ; Torr. <^ Gr. fl. N. Am. 1. p. 273. L. venosus, Brit.fl. gard. (ser. 2.) t. 37. L. 

 Californicus, Doiigl. ; Lindl. hot. reg. t. 1144. L. pisiformis, Hook.fl. Bor.-Am. I. p. 158. 

 Pisum maritimum, Linn.; Engl. hot. t. 1047; Nutt. gen. 2. p. 95; DC. prodr. 2. p. 368; 

 Torr. compend. p. 263. 



Perennial. Stem 1-2 feet long, angular, but not winged. Leaflets often scattered on the 

 petiole, of a firm texture, 1^-2 inches long, with prominent reticulated veins. Stipules 

 usually somewhat toothed below. Tendrils branching. Flowers large and showy, purple ; 

 the wings and keel paler. Legume oblong, somewhat falcate. 



Sandy seacoast of Long Island ; abundant, and on the shore of Lake Ontario. Lake Erie, 

 near Dunkirk, and Oneida lake {Dr. Knieskern). .Tune - July. Tliis plant was very pro- 

 perly removed to the genus Lathyrus by Dr. Bigelow. 



2. Lathyrus ochroleucus, Hooh. (Plate XXIL) Cream-colored Vetchling. 



Whole plant smooth, pale and somewhat glaucous ; leaflets 3-4 pairs, broadly oval or 

 ovate, thin ; stipules semicordate, smaller than the leaflets, entire or obtusely toothed at the 

 base ; peduncles 7 - lO-flowercd, shorter than the leaves ; upper segments of the calyx 

 broadly triangular, and scarcely half the length of the oblong lateral ones ; the lower, lanceo- 

 late, and a little longer ; corolla yellowish-white. — Hook. fl. Bor.-Am. 1. p. 159 ; Gray in 

 ann. lye. N. York, 1. p. 225 ; Torr. <^ Gr. fl. N. Am. 1. p. 275. L. glaucifolius. Beck, 

 hot. p. 90. L. pisiformis, Richards, in app. Frankl. journ. ed. 2. p. 28. 



Stem slender, somewhat angular but not winged, 1 i - 2^ feet long. Leaflets 1-2 inches 

 long, usually three pairs. Stipules variable in size, but seldom more than half as large as the 

 leaves. Flowers rather smaller than in the preceding species. Calyx obtuse at the base ; 

 the teeth slightly hairy on the margin. Legume linear-oblong, compressed, smooth. 



Shady hill-sides and banks of streams, Gorham, Ontario county ; also in Yates county {Dr. 

 Sartwell) ; Jeff'erson county {Dr. Crawe). Fl. June - July. 



