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Tag Archives: Leguminosae

Lovely Leguminosae

13 Sunday Jun 2021

Posted by sconzani in flowers, wildflowers

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

British wildflowers, Leguminosae, Pea family

There’s something about the Pea family, the Leguminosae. Maybe it’s because my Nana used to grow Sweet peas every year so I always associate their smell with good memories of time spent with her. Maybe it’s because my Dad always grew peas in his vegetable garden (though my brother and I often ate them straight off the vines before Dad could harvest them for a family meal) – also good memories of helping him planting and weeding. Maybe it’s just that their distinctive five-petalled flowers make the Pea family a little easier to identify than many other wildflower families. Maybe it’s just that they’re beautiful. Here are some that are blooming now here in south Wales.

These are Goat’s-rue (Galega officinalis), Hairy tare (Vicia hirsuta), Bitter vetch (Lathyrus linifolius), Bush vetch (Vicia sepium), Common vetch (Vicia sativa), Tufted vetch (Vicia cracca), Grass vetchling (Lathyrus nissolia), and Meadow vetchling (Lathyrus pratensis).

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208/366 A pod of peas

26 Sunday Jul 2020

Posted by sconzani in nature, wildflowers

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

British wildflowers, Broad-leaved everlasting pea, Common bird's foot trefoil, Goat's-rue, Grass vetchling, Leguminosae, Meadow vetchling, Melilotus species, Pea family

The Pea family (properly known as the Leguminosae) is a large one, and its members are easily recognised by their flower shape. I see them a lot during my meanders – Red and White clovers, the Bird’s-foot trefoil and Melilotus species, Tufted and Bush vetch are all common hereabouts.

200726 1 birds-foot trefoil
200726 1 melilotus sp
200726 2 tufted vetch
200726 2 bush vetch

Those that follow are the peas I see less often, starting with Meadow vetchling (Lathyrus pratensis), which is not an uncommon plant in my area – it’s just that I’ve seen it more often since lockdown started, as my walks have taken me along the less-used footpaths across local farm fields and meadows.

200726 3 meadow vetchling

Grass vetchling (Lathyrus nissolia) is less common – or, perhaps, less easily found, as it’s a delicate plant, easily lost amongst the long grass in which it grows, unless you manage to spot its one or two bright pink flowers on fine, tall stems.

200726 4 grass vetchling (2)
200726 4 grass vetchling (1)

Broad-leaved everlasting pea (Lathyrus latifolius): I’ve found this lovely, sprawling pea in two local parks, both former rubbish dumps. It seems an aggressive climber and rambler, adorning bramble and low scrub with its attractive blooms. It is a favourite plant of the Long-tailed blue butterfly so I know where to look if this pretty migrant butterfly ever decides to fly as far as south Wales.

200726 5 broad-leaved everlasting pea

Goat’s rue (Galega officinalis) is new to me, and I’ve only seen it in one location, near a large local hospital, perhaps blown in by the constant comings and goings of traffic. My Flora Britannica says it ‘was introduced … in the sixteenth century as a vegetable and medicinal herb, and later grown for ornament’. It certainly has very beautiful flowers.

200726 6 goats-rue

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About me

sconzani

sconzani

I'm a writer and photographer; researcher and blogger; birder and nature lover; countryside rambler and city strider; volunteer and biodiversity recorder.

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