Leafy pea facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Leafy pea |
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Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Fabales |
| Family: | Fabaceae |
| Genus: | Lathyrus |
| Species: |
L. polyphyllus
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| Binomial name | |
| Lathyrus polyphyllus Nutt.
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Lathyrus polyphyllus is a type of wild pea plant. It is commonly known as the leafy pea. You can find it growing naturally in the western parts of the United States, especially from Washington down to northern California. It likes to live in forests and other natural areas. This plant is a perennial herb, which means it lives for more than two years and doesn't have a woody stem like a tree.
What is the Leafy Pea Plant?
The leafy pea plant is known for its unique features, from its leaves to its colorful flowers. It's a fascinating part of the plant world in the western United States.
Leaves and Tendrils
The leafy pea plant has long leaves. Each leaf is made up of many pairs of small, oval-shaped leaflets, which are only a few centimeters long.
- Tendrils: The leaves also have special parts called tendrils. Tendrils are thin, curling parts that help the plant climb. They can be long, branched, and coiled, or sometimes just a short, stiff bristle. These tendrils help the leafy pea plant hold onto other plants or objects for support as it grows.
- Stipules: At the base of each leaf, there are large leaf-like parts called stipules. These stipules are often more than a centimeter wide.
Flowers and Fruit
The leafy pea plant produces beautiful flowers and interesting fruit.
- Flowers: The plant grows a cluster of flowers called an inflorescence. This cluster can have up to 12 pea flowers. They are usually arranged in a line along one side of the stem. Each flower can be up to 2 centimeters wide. They come in many different shades of purple, making them quite striking.
- Fruit: After the flowers bloom, the plant produces a fruit called a legume. This fruit is a pod that opens up when it's ripe to release its seeds. This way of opening is called dehiscence. Inside the pod, you will find the small peas.
