HerbCultivatedAnnual

Lathyrus sativus L.

Grass pea · Rawri

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Description

Lathyrus sativus is an annual herbaceous climbing or spreading plant, usually 30–100 cm tall. Stems are angular, branched, and often winged. Leaves are paripinnate, consisting of a pair of narrow lanceolate leaflets ending in a tendril. Flowers are bisexual, papilionaceous, and occur singly or in pairs on long stalks. Flower colour varies from white and blue to purple or pink. Fruits are flattened, oblong pods containing several angular seeds. Seeds are wedge-shaped, white, grey, or brown and are used as a food source in some regions.

Diagnostic Characters

Vegetative

Climbing annual herb. Leaves ending in tendrils. Narrow leaflets.

Floral

Solitary pea flowers. Variable flower colour.

Fruit & Seed

Flat pods. Angular seeds.

Distribution

Native range: Origin Mediterranean region, Western Asia.

In Pakistan: Cultivated in Pakistan, India, Ethiopia, Mediterranean countries.

Phenology

Flowering

Fruiting

Flowering: March–May Fruiting: May–June

Ethnobotany & Uses

Food Importance

Seeds are rich in Protein, Starch. Used as Pulse crop, Animal feed.

Agricultural Importance

Known as a Climate-resilient crop, Drought-tolerant legume, Health Consideration. Seeds contain β-N-oxalyl-L-α,β-diaminopropionic acid (ODAP). High consumption may cause neurological disease (lathyrism).

UniFlora AI Assistant

Ask about Grass pea

Hello! I'm UniFlora AI. Ask me anything about Grass pea (*Lathyrus sativus*) — identification tips, flowering season, uses, campus locations, or taxonomy.

Where it grows on campus

This species is on the campus floristic list but was not pinned during the GPS mapping survey, so it has no map records yet.

Taxonomic Notes

Lathyrus sativus is an important neglected crop species due to its Extreme drought tolerance, Nutritional value, Historical cultivation, UniFlora Field Recognition Tip 🌿. Look for 🌱 Climbing pulse crop, 🍃 Tendril-bearing leaves.