When a vetch is not a vetch

 

 

Flowers, Bitter Vetch, provisional identification, April 2014

 

Bitter Vetch, Lathyrus linifolius, judging by the leaves shown in the picture below and with thanks to Mark Goff.

The first of the flowering pea/vetch, the common name is confusing as it is not actually a vetch, according to Blamey, Fitter and Fitter in Wildflowers of Britain and Ireland.

Picture taken April 11.

 

Flowers, Bitter Vetch, provisional identification, April 2014

4 Comments

  1. Andy

    When it was the home ground for Swansea City!

  2. I agree that appears to be lathyrus linifolius – bitter vetch. The lack of a leaf stem tendril is a good indicator. I grow bitter vetch on a semi-commercially for its appetite suppressing tubers so, short of digging it up to see if it has one, I would say it is Bv on the basis of the photo.

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