Vicia angustifolia L.

Spice

Family: LEGUMINOSAE

Genus: Vicia

Sinònims: Vicia sativa L. subsp. nigra (L.) Ehrh.

Catalan common name: Vecera borda.

Spanish common name: Alverja. Alverjilla. Veza. Veza de hoja estrecha.

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

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

General distribution (Phytogeography): Some regions

IUCN Category: LCLeast concern

Flowering time: JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Life-forms: Terophyte.

Habitats: Cultivated fields, path and road sides, disturbed zones. Pine wood and shrubland with rosemary and thyme garigue. Therophytic calicole fields. Herbaceous communities, fields, etc.

Characteristics: A slender annual herbaceous plant with elongated prostrate stems leaves composite and finished in a branched tendril. The folioles are strongly acuminate and the stipules are divided with a very notorious purple nectary. Bears a strong resemblance to V. amphicarpa, but differs form this species as it lacks subterranean flowers and because the folioles are 6 times longer than wide; additionally, the fruit and seed are much smaller.

Observations: Forms part of the V. sativa group.