Family |
Fabaceae
Lathyrus gorgoni
Parl.
Lathyrus gorgoni Parl.
First published in Giorn. Sci. Sicilia 62: 3 (1838).
(Nouvelle Flore du Liban et de la Syrie, vol. 2, p. 423, Pl. CLXXIII, 2; 1970)
Description
Life-form & habit: Hairless annual with spreading or climbing, narrowly winged stems, 20–60 cm long.
Leaves: Leaflets lanceolate-linear, often reaching 6 cm long and 7–8 mm wide. Stipules are half-arrow-shaped and oblong-lanceolate.
Inflorescence & flowers: Single-flowered stalks equal the adjacent leaves and are jointed near the tip. Calyx teeth are lanceolate and tapering, twice as long as the tube. The corolla is pale red with yellowish wings and keel.
Fruit: Linear, slightly flattened, net-veined pods with a narrowly winged upper seam and 5–8 smooth, blackish, slightly flattened seeds.
Flowering and habitat
Phenology: Flowering February–April.
Habitat & elevation: Hedges and grassy places.
Distribution
Lebanese distribution: Borj Afer, Beirut, Place des Canons, Khalde, Saida, Jbail, Tripoli, Mkalles, Jabal Aqroum, Rayak, Chtaura, Hasbani, Chlifa, Qaa, Wadi el Harir, Jisr al Khardali and Kornet Chehwan.
Syrian distribution: Tartous, south of Banias, Cheikh Hisamo, Bhamra, north of Latakia, Mayssaloun, Ghouta, Adra, east of Wadi el Qarn, Deraa–Tayyibe, south of Homs and Mazraa.
Native range: Cyprus, East Aegean Is., Iraq, Lebanon-Syria, Palestine, Sardegna, Sicilia, Türkiye, Türkiye-in-Europe.
Introduced into: Kriti.
⚠️ Taxonomic note:
Mouterde uses the spelling Lathyrus gorgonii and cites L. amoenus Fenzl, a synonym accepted by Kew under L. gorgoni.