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Project Noah Nature School
Lathyrus sphaericus
It is an erect or rising annual herb. Stem is hairless, not winged. Leaves are paripinnately compound, with leaflets 2, 2-9 cm long, 1-3 mm broad, linear or lanceshaped. Stipules are 3-15 mm long, semi-arrowshaped. Flowers occur singly in leaf axils, on stalks 1-15 mm long. Sepals cup is 5-6 mm long, teeth subequal, 1.5 - 2 times as long as the tube. Flowers are red or orange. Standard petals narrowed into long unguis; wings on long narrow unguis; keel oblong, on long unguis. Pods are hairless, narrow-linear- marked with longitudinal stripes, 3.5-6.5 cm long, 3-5 mm wide, slightly compressed. Valves convex, with lengthwise oblique venation. Seeds are round, compressed, 2-2.5 mm diameter, brown or olive-green, smooth.
It is native to Eurasia and much of Africa, and it is known on other continents as an introduced species. It can grow in many types of habitat, including disturbed areas.
Spotted on Apr 25, 2013
Submitted on Apr 25, 2013
