Seasonal Wild Flowers

Latin name

Lathyrus linifolius

Other names

Bitter Vetchling

Family

Fabaceae

Flowering season

April to July - this is the earliest pea-vetch to flower

English distribution

It is found everywhere except for East Anglia, the east

Midlands and parts of Lincolnshire.

See the BSBI distribution map for Bitter-vetch

Habitat

It grows in damp grassland and meadows, grass banks,

open woodland, stream banks and rock ledges.

The pictures shown here were taken in long grass in June.

Although colourful and allegedly common, Bitter-vetch is

easily overlooked and can be mistaken for other vetches

at first sight.

Description

Bitter-vetch is a native, creeping, tuberous, perennial herb

growing up to 40cm.

Between 2 and 6 flowers are found on a long thin hairless

stalk.

Flowers are up to 12mm, crimson to pink at first, then

fading to a bruised-blue.

Sepals are joined and dark blue-green.

Pods are up to 4cm, cylindrical, hairless and pointed.

Leaves are made up of 2 to 4 pea-like leaflets.

Leaflets are up to 4 cm and have a small terminal point

instead of a tendril.

At their base, leaves have small narrow stipules.

The stem is winged.