Nevada Pea

Perennial, Herbs, Plants with rhizomes or suckers, Taproot present, Nodules present, Stems or branches arching, spreading or decumbent, Stems prostrate, trailing, or mat forming, Stems less than 1 m tall, Stems 1-2 m tall, Climbing by tendrils, Stems solid, Stems or young twigs glabrous or sparsely glabrate, Stems or young twigs sparsely to densely hairy, Leaves alternate, Leaves petiolate, Stipules conspicuous, Stipules gre en, triangulate to lanceolate or foliaceous, Stipules persistent, Stipules free, Leaves compound, Leaves even pinnate, Leaf or leaflet margins entire, Leaflets opposite, Leaflets alternate or subopposite, Leaflets 4, Leaflets 5-9, Leaves glabrous or nearly so, Flowers in axillary clusters or few-floweredracemes, 2-6 flowers, Inflorescences racemes, Inflorescence axillary, Bracts very small, absent or caducous, Flowers zygomorphic, Calyx 5-lobed, Calyx hairy, Petals separate, Corolla papilionaceous, Petals clawed, Petals pinkish to rose, Petals blue, lavander to purple, or violet, Banner petal ovoid or obovate, Banner petal suborbicular, broadly rounded, Wing petals narrow, oblanceolate to oblong, Wing petals auriculate, Wing tips obtuse or rounded, Keel tips obtuse or rounded, not beaked, Stamens 9-10, Stamens diadelphous, 9 united, 1 free, Filaments glabrous, Style flattened, Style hairy, Style hairy on one side only, Style persistent in fruit, Fruit a legume, Fruit unilocu lar, Fruit freely dehiscent, Fruit elongate, straight, Fruit exserted from calyx, Valves twisting or coiling after dehiscence, Fruit glabrous or glabrate, Fruit 3-10 seeded, Seeds ovoid to rounded in outline, Seed surface smooth, Seeds olive, brown, or black.

Lathyrus lanszwertii is a species of sweet pea known by the common names Nevada sweet pea or peavine. It is found in western North America from California to Texas to British Columbia. It is a tender vining perennial which bears lavender, fuchsia, or white pea flowers, and pods containing inedible peas. There is much variation among individuals of this species, and there are several distinct varieties:

Lathyrus lanszwertii var. aridus - Nevada pea Lathyrus lanszwertii var. brownii - Brown's pea Lathyrus lanszwertii var. lanszwertii - Lanszwert's pea Lathyrus lanszwertii var. leucanthus - Nevada pea Lathyrus lanszwertii var. tracyi - Tracy's pea