COMMON VETCH AND ITS VARIETIES 3 
Table 1. — Imports of common-vetch seed into the United States from 1914 to 1928, 
inclusive 
Year 
Pounds 
Year 
Pounds 
1914 
682, 236 
221, 478 
61,613 
29, 900 
117,600 
435, 200 
1, 048, 300 
1921 
1922 
542, 400 
1915 
344, 600 
1916 
1923... 
1, 858, 100 
1917 
Total 
1918 
5, 341, 427 
1919 
534, 143 
1920 
COMMON NAMES 
Several names have been used in designating Vicia sativa. Com- 
mon vetch and spring vetch are names most frequently used for the 
commercial seed of this species. The latter name, however, has also 
been used to contrast the less winter-hardy with the more winter- 
hardy varieties, which are occasionally called winter vetch. Oregon 
vetch refers to the variety of V. sativa that is being grown in 
western Oregon and western Washington. A variety developed in 
Denmark has been put upon the market as crown vetch. Pearl 
vetch refers to a variety with pale-pink seed that has been com- 
mercialized under that name. 
It seems desirable to avoid confusion that the group name com- 
mon vetch be used for Vicia sativa. The other common names can 
then be used to designate the varieties. The term " winter vetch " 
can well be avoided in referring to Vicia sativa, as this designation 
is sometimes applied to V. villosa. 
DESCRIPTION OF VICIA SATIVA 
Plants with single stems in thick stands or with several stems from 
the crown if not crowded by other plants; stems semidecumbent or 
with support ascending, often branching; leaves with four to seven 
pairs of leaflets, each leaf bearing a terminal branching tendril; leaf- 
lets obovate, obcordate, cuneate, oblong to linear, the apex rounded, 
truncate, or incised; stipules semisagittate, usually serrate (entire 
in var. remrevillensis) ; flowers solitary or in clusters of two to four, 
usually two, sessile (rarely long pedicelled), corolla 2 to 3 centi- 
meters long, purple, pink, or white; calyx with subequal teeth about 
as long as the tube; pods pale or dark brown in color at maturity, 
linear, terete, or compressed, pubescent or glabrous; seeds globose 
to lenticular, pink, reddish brown, mottled brown, or brownish 
black. 
DESCRIBED BOTANICAL VARIETIES OR SUBSPECIES 
Vicia saliva var. alba Beck (V. alba Moench) : Leaflets obovate to obcordate; 
flowers white, 
var. amphicarpa Coss. and Krol.: Plants bearing cleistogamous flowers; 
underground stems; normal stems with purple flowers, 
var. carnea Beck: Leaflets obovate to obcordate; flowers light pink or rose 
color. 
var. cordifolia Beck: Leaflets strongly obcordate, the apex deeply bilobed; 
flowers purple. 
var. cosentini Arcang. (V. cosentini Guss.) : Leaves cuneate to linear-obovate, 
2 centimeters long and 6 millimeters wide; flowers purple; pods small, 
6 millimeters in diameter, without pubescence, rough; seed mottled 
brpwnish and green. 
