Lathyrus sphaericus Retz.

Nile region and western desert.

North Africa, south Europe, east Mediterranean region extending eastwards to Afghanistan.

Erect or ascending annual herb. Stem glabrous, not winged. Leaf paripinnately compound, leaflets 2, 2-9 cm long, 1-3 mm broad, linear or lanceolate, glabrous to subglabrous; stipules 3-15 mm long, semi-sagittate. Flowers solitary axillary, peduncle 1-15 mm. Calyx 5-6 mm long, teeth subequal, 1.5-2 times as long as the tube. Corolla red or orange. Vexillum 6-10 mm long. Fruit 3-6 cm long, 4-5 mm broad, linear-ensiform, glabrous, 5-14-seeded.

Europe, Africa, W. Asia, C. Asia, Himalaya (Chitral to W. Nepal).

Distribution: Pakistan; Kashmir; India; Afghanistan; Iran; Iraq; Turkey; Cyprus; N.Africa; Tropical Africa; Europe; Russia (Caucasus, Central Asia).

1300-1600 m

Fl.Per.: February-March.

Annual, Herbs, Taproot present, Nodules present, Stems or branches arching, spreading or decumbent, Stems prostrate, trailing, or mat forming, Stems less than 1 m tall, Climbing by tendrils, Stems solid, Stems or young twigs glabrou s or sparsely glabrate, Leaves alternate, Leaves petiolate, Stipules conspicuous, Stipules green, triangulate to lanceolate or foliaceous, Stipules persistent, Stipules free, Leaves compound, Leaves even pinnate, Leaf or leaflet margins entire, Leaflets opposite, Leaflets 2, Leaves glabrous or nearly so, Flowers solitary in axils, or appearing solitary, Inflorescence axillary, Bracts very small, absent or caducous, Flowers zygomorphic, Calyx 5-lobed, Calyx glabrous, Petals separate, Corolla papilionaceous, Petals clawed, Petals red, Petals orange or yellow, 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 unilocular, Fruit freely dehis cent, 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.