Lens culinaris Medik. subsp. culinaris

Spice Flower Fruit Image 2 In the field

Family: LEGUMINOSAE

Genus: Lens

Catalan common name: Lenteja.

Spanish common name: Llentia. Llentilla.

General distribution (Phytogeography): Mediterranean

Uses and properties: Edible or foodstuffs.

Flowering time: JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Life-forms: Terophyte.

Habitats: Cultivated fields, path and road sides, disturbed zones. Cultivated species. Cultivated specie and sometimes subespontaneous.

Characteristics: An herbaceous plant, erect (up to 70 cm.) and pubescent. The leaves are odd-pinnate with a great number of folioles and a terminal tendril. Develops some small bluish to blue flowers on axial racemes. The fruit is in the form of a pod (legume) with 1-3 seeds, which are the culinary lentils. Differs from the subspecies nigricans as the later has a smaller pod and the seeds are smaller and dark coloured, not green.