Lathyrus aphaca L.

Spice In the field

Family: LEGUMINOSAE

Genus: Lathyrus

Catalan common name: Banya de cabra. Gerdell. Tapissots bords.

Spanish common name: Afaca. Alverja amarilla. Alverja silvestre. Arveja de burros. Basillón.

Province distribution: Alacant. Balearic Islands. Barcelona. Girona. Lleida. Tarragona. València.

Distribution in the islands: Mallorca. Menorca. Ibiza. Cabrera.

General distribution (Phytogeography): Holoartica

IUCN Category: LCLeast concern

Flowering time: JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Life-forms: Terophyte.

Habitats: Cultivated fields, path and road sides, disturbed zones. Therophytic calicole fields. Herbaceous communities, garriques and cultivated fields.

Characteristics: A small climbing legume with solitary yellow flowers. Easy to recognize, as the stipules look like leaves and are more or less triangular and halberd in shape and are arranged in pairs along the stem. From the axils of the stipules sprout the tendrils (the only kind of leaf present) or floral pedicels. The entire plant is clear green in colour. Lives in cultivated fields, roadsides, and garrigue clearings. Flowers throughout the spring.