LATHYRUS. 
lours, or continuance in blow, of the Aveet-pea, yet it is 
ufually fo.wn in our gardens with other annuals. 
15. Lathyrus clymenum, or various-flowered lathyrus : 
peduncles two-flowered ; tendrils many-leaved, ftipules 
toothed. Native of the Levant. 
III. Peduncles many-flowered. 16. Lathyrus hirfutus, 
or hairy lathyrus: peduncles commonly three-flowered; 
tendrils two-leaved, leaflets lanceolate, legumes hirlute ; 
.feeds rugged. Root perennial; (all other authors lay an¬ 
nual.) Stalks three or four, weak, near two feet long. 
Peduncles about four inches in length, fultaining two 
purple flowers, frequently three; corolla purple, with 
yellow lines within. Native of many parts of Europe. 
With us not common. Mr. Miller found it in places 
fpread over with brambles near Hockerel ;n Eflex. It has 
been obferved in feveral parts of that county, as about 
Hockley and Raleigh, and elfewhere in Rochford hun¬ 
dred; near Munden-church and' Laydon-hall in Dengy 
hundred ; on hills north of Pensford, on the Briftolroad, 
and between Pensford and Keynlham in Somerfetfhire. It 
flowers in July. 
17. Lathyrus tuberofus, or tuberous lathyrus: pedun¬ 
cles many-flowered; tendrils two-leaved; leaflets oval ; 
internodes naked. Stems about a foot high, obfeurdy 
quadrangular, branched, flnooth. This plant is culti¬ 
vated in Holland for the roots, is fold in the markets, and 
commonly eaten there ; but with us only for ornament, 
being a beautiful hardy perennial, refembling the ever- 
lafling pea, but of an humbler growth. It fhould how¬ 
ever be introduced with caution, on account of its creep¬ 
ing roots, and is perhaps better fuited to the undipped 
hedge of the pleafure-ground than the border of the 
flower-garden. Native of France, Germany, Flanders, 
Holland, Swiflerland, Auftria, and Siberia. It flowers in 
July and Augult; and was cultivated in 1640 by Parkin- 
fion ; who calls it peaje earth-nut, as does alio Gerard. 
iS. Lathyrus pratenlis, or meadow lathyrus : pedun¬ 
cles many-flowered ; tendrils two-leaved, quite Ample ; 
leaflets lanceolate. Root perennial, creeping. Stems a foot 
or eighteen inches, and fometimes three feet, or even more, 
in length; when without f'upport procumbent, but climb¬ 
ing by means of tendrils, and having the appearance of 
being upright in meadows, and efpecially among bufhes ; 
they are obtufely quadrangular, and much branched. 
P'lou-ers in a raceme, directed one way, from four or five 
to eight or ten, on axillary peduncles, four or five inches 
long, four-cornered ; corolla yellow. Legumes an inch 
and half long, compreffed, flnooth, black, containing from 
feven or eight to twelve globular fhining feeds, of a yel- 
lowifh or brown colour, with flnall purple dots. Native 
of molt parts of Europe, in meadows and pallures, urnods, 
thickets, and hedges, flowering from June to Auguft. 
In old authors this plant is much reprobated as a vile 
weed, that fpreads much by means of its creeping roots ; 
and accordingly Mr. Miller will not have it admitted into 
gardens. Many modern writers however recommend it 
as an excellent food for cattle, and not without reafon, 
iince its quality is good, and it bears a large burden of 
fucculent leafy ftalks. Among its patrons we may reckon 
Linnaeus, Haller, Schreber, Anderfon, Curtis, and Young. 
Mr. Swayne afferts, that it does not feem to be at all 
agreeable to cattle, and that where they have a choice of 
feed they feldom touch ir. But, with refpeff to this and 
many other leguminous plants, we are not to conclude 
that they are difagreeable to cattle, becaufe they are not 
eaten in their fruiting (fate. They may ftiil be excellent 
in hay, and the cattle may be fond of the young fuccu- 
lent herbage. This and other leguminous plants are bed; 
mixed with good grades in permanent meadows. Mr. 
Curtis informs us, that he obferved a piece of ltiff foil, 
belonging to lord Loughborough, near Mitcham, which 
produced an excellent crop, confilting chiefly of this 
plant and Feftuca pratenfis. There could not well be a 
better mixture than this made by art, for itrong land. A 
f>67 
difficulty which Mr. Swayne mentions is not fo eafily got 
over. This is, that it produces very few feeds, and that 
thofe few are for the molt part devoured by a fpecies of 
Curculio. Probably with care, in a garden, a iufficient 
quantity of feed might be produced ; or, if not, we mult 
have recourfe to the ordinary methods of increafing pe¬ 
rennial plants, by the roots, layers, or cuttings. It is 
called in Englifb, common yellow or meadow vetchling, 
and tare-everlafting. 
19. Lathyrus fylveftris, wild lathyrus, or narrow-leaved 
everlafting-pea: peduncles many-liowered ; tendrils two¬ 
leaved ; leaflets , enflform ; internodes membranaceous. 
Perennial. Stems fix feet or more in height, climbing or 
trailing, fpreading widely, branched, winged, and flnooth. 
Leaves petioled ; leaflets ending in a fhort point; beneath 
three-ribbed, glandular at the bale. Tendrils for the molt 
part trifid. Stipules linear-lanceolate, half-arrow-fhaped 
or awl-fhaped, very narrow, hooked or bearded at bot¬ 
tom. Peduncles a fpan long, fomewhat angular, naked ; 
with one awl-fhaped bratte at the bale of each pedicel, 
which is fhort, bending, and coloured. Flowers not more 
than fix in a raceme; corolla red and white; Pcandard large, 
rofe-coloured, faintly netted-veined ; wings violet; keel 
whitifh green. Legumes two inches long, and nearly half 
an inch wide, comprefled, flnooth, brown. Seeds ten to 
twelve, nearly round, blackifh. This is diflinguifhed from 
/atifolius by the leaves not being much broader than the 
Item, and three-ribbed, and the flowers of a much fmaller 
fize. See the preceding Plate, fig. 2. It is a native of 
mod parts of Europe. In England, between Cattle 
Camps and Bartlow in Cambridgefhire; between Bath 
and Briftol ; Conway in Wales ; between Perfhore and 
Eckington in Worcelterlhire ; Shelton-bank near Salop ; 
near Pensford, &c. near London it is rare ; but occurs in 
the Oak-of-Honour wood near Peckham ; and in many 
parts of Kent and Bedfordfhire it grows abundantly. 
20. Lathyruslatifolius, broad-leav.ed everlafting-pea : pe¬ 
duncles many-flowered; tendrils two-leaved, leaflets ovate 
or lanceolate ; internodes membranaceous. St dks feveral, 
thick, climbing by means of tendrils to the height of fix 
or eight feet, or even higher in woods : thefe die to the 
ground in autumn, and new ones rife in the fpring from 
the fame root. Leaves ltiff, marked with three or five 
Itrong ribs, rolled in at the edge, blunt at the end, but 
terminating in a little point or brittle ; they are always in 
pairs, and on a winged petiole ; at the bale of this are> 
large ftipules, fhaped fomewhat like the head of a halbert. 
Tendrils multifid or branched. Each flower has an awl- 
fhaped bradte at the bafe of the pedicel ; corolla pale pur- 
pliih rofe-colour. Native of many parts of Europe, in 
hedges and woods. Mr. Ray obferved it about the mid¬ 
dle of the feventeenth century in the Carnbridgefhire 
woods ; and it (till keeps its poft, though almoft a cen¬ 
tury and half has elapfed. Johnfon in Gerard fays, that 
great ftore of it grows in Swainfcombe wood near Green- 
hithe in Kent. It flowers at the end of June and begin¬ 
ning of July. It is a fliowy plant for fhrubberies, wilder- 
nefs-quarters, arbours, and trellis-work; but too large 
and rampant for the borders of the common flower-gar¬ 
den. Bees refort much to it, and the flowers furniflt 
them with abundance of honey. It yields a great quan¬ 
tity both of green fodder and feeds; but in what degree 
the former might be agreeable to cattle, and the latter to 
pigeons or poultry, mutt be feen by experience. 
21. Lathyrus heterophyllus: peduncles many-flowered; 
tendrils two and four leaved; leaflets lanceolate; inter¬ 
nodes membranaceous. Stems quadrangular, winged, 
three or four feet high. Leaflets nerved, fhorter than 
thofe of L. fylveflris, and longer than thole of L. latifo¬ 
lius. Native of Sweden, Swifleriand, France, Silefia. 
a2. Lathyrus paluftris, or marfh lathyrus: peduncles 
many-flowered; tendrils many-leaved,; ftipules lanceolate. 
Flowers three, fometimes to fix or more, pointing one 
way, in erect racemes; corolla vivid purplifh-blue, o£ 
great 
