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Lathyrus niger
Also called Black Vetchling
Lathyrus niger, also known as black pea, blackening flat pea and black bitter vetch, is a perennial legume that is native to Europe. Its common name is reference to the blackening of the plant's foliage as it dies.
The seeds of the species are not to be confused with edible 'black peas', which are a form of Pisum sativum. Seeds of Lathyrus species are toxic, containing an enzyme that interferes with collagen synthesis to cause the disease Lathyrism.
Lathyrus niger is native to Europe and parts of Asia. Its typical habitat is broad-leaved woodland, forest margins, woodland clearings and plantations.
Lathyrus alpestris · Angled pea · Annual vetchling · Yellow pea · Golden Pea · Belin Sweet Pea · Twoflower pea · Lathyrus lanszwertii var. bijugatus · Red pea · Cicercha purpurina · Dark Blue Vetchling · China Davida
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Lathyrus niger by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts are shared under the same licence.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
