| Meadow vetchling | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Rosids |
| Order: | Fabales |
| Family: | Fabaceae |
| Subfamily: | Faboideae |
| Tribe: | Vicieae |
| Genus: | Lathyrus |
| Species: | L. pratensis |
| Binomial name | |
| Lathyrus pratensis L. |
|
Lathyrus pratensis or Meadow vetchling, also known as the Meadow Pea and Meadow pea-vine, is a perennial legume that grows to 1.2 m in height.
The Meadow vetchling is in flower from May to August, and the seeds ripen from July to September. The hermaphrodite flowers are pollinated by bees. As a perennial, this plant reproduces itself over many years, spreading out from the point it was introduced, especially in damp grassy areas. This plant has been propagated in the past as animal fodder.
The Meadow vetchling is native to Europe and Asia, but has been introduced to other parts of the world. In the United States, this plant is found primarily in the northeast states, Oregon, and Alaska.