Pacific pea facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Pacific pea |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Lathyrus
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| Species: |
vestitus
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The Pacific pea (Lathyrus vestitus) is a beautiful wild plant. It's a type of pea that grows in western North America. You can mostly find it in the forests, woodlands, and chaparral areas of California. Some types of Pacific pea also grow in Oregon and Baja California.
This plant is a perennial pea vine. This means it lives for many years, not just one season. The Pacific pea looks a bit different depending on its specific type. Its leaves are made up of several smaller parts called leaflets. These leaflets can be up to 4 or 5 centimeters long and come in different shapes.
The leaves usually have special parts called tendrils. These tendrils are like tiny coils or springs. They help the plant climb and hold onto other plants or structures. The plant also has small leaf-like parts called stipules at the base of its leaves. These can be big or small.
When the Pacific pea blooms, it produces a showy group of flowers. This group is called an inflorescence. It can have up to 15 pea-shaped flowers. Sometimes, these flowers are packed closely together. They are usually a pretty shade of light to medium purple or white.
Types of Pacific Pea
The Pacific pea (Lathyrus vestitus) is often talked about as having several different types. These types are called varieties or subspecies. They are all part of the same main species but have small differences. These differences might be in their size, the shape of their leaves, or where they grow.
Here are some of the known varieties of the Pacific pea:
- Lathyrus vestitus var. alefeldii
- Lathyrus vestitus var. ochropetalus
- Lathyrus vestitus var. vestitus
