Vicia lathyroides L.

Spring Vetch

Herb

Annual

Vascular

Spring Vetch is an introduced annual in the Bean family (Fabaceae). It is native to Europe and Western Asia. In Alabama, it can be found throughout the state. Spring Vetch grows in lawns, in cemeteries, on roadsides, and in sports fields. It is an annual with stems from 3-6 inches in length. The stems are green in color, decumbent or ascending and either short pubescent or glabrous. The leaves are alternate, petiolate, and pinnate. The leaves have 4-8 leaflets. The lower leaflets are obovate to obcordate in outline and the upper leaflets are elliptic to oblong in outline. The leaflets are short pubescent or glabrous. The leaves end in a simple tendril. Flowers are sessile or sub-sessile in the upper leaf axils. The flowers are solitary and papilionaceous. The standard or banner petal is blue-purple and the wing petals are blue turning to white with age. The fruit is a linear legume with 6-7 seed. Spring Vetch is probably more common than records indicate. Its small size and early flowering date make it easy to overlook.--A. Diamond

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Not Native

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