The New Zealand Plant Conservation Network

Species

Lathyrus japonicus

Etymology

japonicus: From Japan

Authority

Lathyrus japonicus Willd.

Family

Fabaceae

Flora Category

Vascular - Exotic

Structural Class

Dicotyledonous Lianes and Related Trailing Plants

Distribution

Exotic. New Zealand, South Island, Catlins (Lathyrus Bay)

Habitat

Coastal sand dunes

Features

Lianoid, long-creeping, rhizomatous, glabrescent (sometimes sparingly puberulent at leaf bases, stem axils and on pods), glaucescent, perennial, herb. Stems 0.2–0.6(–0.8) m long, angular, decumbent to ascending arising from long-creeping, slender rhizomes. Leaves shortly petiolate; stipulate, stipules ovate to semi-saggittate, 15–25 mm long, acute; leaflets 8–12, ovate, oblong to elliptic, 15–45(-50) × 10–30 mm, acute to obtuse, ± penninerved, tendrils simple, 2– or 3–branched. Inflorescences racemose, borne on 40–60 mm long peduncules; flowers 25–30 mm long, dark purple with darker lines on standard; calyx-teeth lanceolate, the lower as long as or greater than tube length. Fruiting pods 300–400(–500) × 10 mm, glabrous, 1–3(–6)-seeded.

This page last updated on 14 Jun 2016