The Jepson Manual: Higher Plants of California

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Names are linked to treatments from the Manual


Key to LATHYRUS

N.B.: couplets are linked, e.g., 1. is linked to 1'.

  1. Leaflets 0; stipules leaflet-like; corolla bright yellow
L. aphaca
  1' Leaflets 2–16; stipules generally not leaflet-like; corolla purple to white (sometimes fading to dull yellow) or (in L. sulphureus) yellow to bronze-orange (drying tan or dark)
 
    2. Leaflets 2; aliens of disturbed habitats
 
      3. Corolla 20–30 mm
 
        4. Inflorescence 4–15-flowered; wings of stem, petiole often > 2 mm wide
L. latifolius
        4' Inflorescence 1–4-flowered; wings of stem, petiole < 2 mm wide
 
          5. Fruit hairy; leaflets ovate to elliptic, length 1.2–3 × width
L. odoratus
          5' Fruit glabrous; leaflets ovate to lanceolate, length 1.2–6.5 × width
L. tingitanus
      3' Corolla 8–15 mm
 
        6. Fruit hairy; inflorescence 1–2-flowered; calyx tube ± = lobes
L. hirsutus
        6' Fruit glabrous; inflorescence 1-flowered; calyx tube << lobes
 
          7. Inflorescence axis not extended beyond flower; calyx tube << lobes; corolla red-purple
L. cicera
          7' Inflorescence axis extended as a bristle beyond flower; calyx tube ± = or < lobes; corolla not red-purple
 
            8. Peduncle 2–8 cm; corolla lavender or purple; fruit veins indistinct, netted
L. angulatus
            8' Peduncle 0.5–2 cm; corolla orange-red; fruit veins distinct, longitudinal
L. sphaericus
    2' Leaflets 2–16 (> 2 at least on some leaves); natives of diverse natural habitats
 
      9. Leaflet, fruit gland-dotted; leaflets ± 14–16 — North Coast Ranges
L. glandulosus
      9' Leaflet, fruit not gland-dotted; leaflets often < 14
 
        10. Stem winged, the wings ± 1 mm or more wide
 
          11. Leaflets generally 6, opposite; coastal marshes, North Coast
2 L. palustris
          11' Leaflets generally 8–16, irregularly arranged; not of immediate coast, except in San Francisco Bay Area
 
            12. Corolla 10–15 mm, white (sometimes dark-striate), fading dull yellow; Klamath Ranges
2 L. delnorticus
            12' Corolla 15–20 mm, pink to pink-purple; widespread
L. jepsonii
              13. Plant generally puberulent; Klamath Ranges to South Coast Ranges, s Sierra Nevada, except San Francisco Bay Area
var. californicus
              13' Plant glabrous; Great Central Valley but generally coastal marshes in San Francisco Bay Area
var. jepsonii
        10' Stem angled or flanged, the angles or flanges < 1 mm wide
 
          14. Tendrils not coiled or branched, often reduced to a short bristle
 
            15. Stipule ± = or > leaflet; generally dunes or beaches of immediate coast — North Coast
 
              16. Plant glabrous or puberulent; leaflet 2.5–4.5 cm
2 L. japonicus
              16' Plant gray-hairy; leaflet 1–2 cm
L. littoralis
            15' Stipule < leaflet; not of immediate coast
 
              17. Inflorescence 1–2-flowered; leaflet generally 0.5–2 cm; fruit glabrous or puberulent
 
                18. Leaflets 10–15, ovate, 1–2 cm; fruit puberulent — North Coast, North Coast Ranges, San Francisco Bay Area
L. torreyi
                18' Leaflets 4–8, generally oblong or narrowly lanceolate to linear; fruit glabrous
 
                  19. Leaflets 4, oblong-lanceolate, generally ± 0.5–1 cm; corolla greenish white, dark-striate; Outer North Coast Ranges (Humboldt Co.)
L. biflorus
                  19' Leaflets of at least some leaves 4–8, narrowly lanceolate to linear, 1.5–8 cm; corolla pale lavender to purple; Klamath Ranges, High Sierra Nevada, Modoc Plateau
4 L. lanszwertii var. aridus
              17' Inflorescence 2–16-flowered; leaflet 1–8 cm; fruit glabrous
 
                20. Stems erect, many, clustered; flowers crowded; corolla white or pink-tinged, 17–23 mm; Modoc Plateau
L. rigidus
                20' Stems erect or sprawling, solitary or a few clustered; flowers crowded or not; corolla lavender to pink-purple or, if white, < 17 mm; n California Floristic Province
 
                  21. Leaflets 10–16, subopposite to alternate; stipules often ± as wide as leaflets; plant glabrous; Klamath Ranges, n&c North Coast Ranges
2 L. polyphyllus
                  21' Leaflets 4–10, irregularly arranged or opposite; stipules generally narrower than (to ± as wide as) leaflets; plant often hairy; widespread
 
                    22. Corolla 13–25 mm; leaflets generally widely ovate or elliptic, generally opposite
2 L. nevadensis var. nevadensis
                    22' Corolla 7–12 mm; leaflets generally linear to lanceolate, irregularly arranged or opposite
4 L. lanszwertii
                      23. Corolla pale lavender to purple; Klamath Ranges, High Sierra Nevada, Modoc Plateau
var. aridus
                      23' Corolla white to cream, often dark-striate; Klamath Ranges, North Coast Ranges
var. tracyi
          14' Tendrils, at least on some leaves, coiled and generally branched
 
            24. Leaflets ± = stipules, 6–8; coastal beaches, dunes — North Coast (Del Norte Co.)
2 L. japonicus
            24' Leaflets generally > stipules, various in number, including 6–8; inland (except L. palustris of coastal marshes)
 
              25. Corolla whitish yellow to bronze-orange (drying tan or dark), 11–14 mm; banner reflexed above middle; inflorescence 10-15-flowered, generally dense, 1-sided — flower appearing wide and blocky; North Coast Ranges, Sierra Nevada Foothills
L. sulphureus
              25' Corolla not whitish yellow to bronze-orange (sometimes fading tan-yellow), various in size, including 11–14 mm; banner reflexed or bent from middle or below; inflorescence 1–15-flowered, generally ± open, rarely 1-sided
 
                26. Corolla wine-red to crimson, 25–35 mm; banner reflexed 120–180° — Peninsular Ranges (San Diego Co.)
L. splendens
                26' Corolla white to purple, 8–25 mm; banner bent ± 90°
 
                  27. Leaflets generally 6, opposite, glabrous or ± puberulent, and flowers 3–6 per inflorescence, 15–20 mm; coastal marshes, North Coast
2 L. palustris
                  27' Leaflets, flowers not entirely as above; immediate coast only in San Francisco Bay Area
 
                    28. Stipules > 1 cm wide; leaflets 10–16; Klamath Ranges, North Coast Ranges
L. polyphyllus
                    28' Stipules < 1 cm wide and leaflets 12 or fewer (or not of Klamath Ranges, North Coast Ranges)
 
                      29. Inflorescence generally 2–4-flowered; Mojave Desert
L. hitchcockianus
                      29' Inflorescence sometimes 2–16-flowered; not Mojave Desert
 
                        30. Corolla white or cream, fading yellow-tan — North Coast, Klamath Ranges, North Coast Ranges
 
                          31. Stem flanged or narrowly winged; stipules widely triangular, 0.5–0.8 cm wide; Klamath Ranges
2 L. delnorticus
                          31' Stem angled or ± flanged; stipules generally lanceolate, < 0.5 mm wide; North Coast, Klamath Ranges, North Coast Ranges
 
                            32. Leaflets generally 4–6, glabrous or puberulent; corolla 9–12 mm
4 L. lanszwertii var. tracyi
                            32' Leaflets generally 8–12, glabrous; corolla 14–16 mm
2 L. vestitus var. ochropetalus
                        30' Corolla purple, lavender, or reddish
 
                          33. Stipules > 1 cm wide; leaflets 10–16 — Klamath Ranges, North Coast Ranges
2 L. polyphyllus
                          33' Stipules < 1 cm wide; leaflets 4–12
 
                            34. Flowers often crowded, generally 8–14, and corolla 14–20 mm; leaflets 8–12, generally subopposite to alternate; w California Floristic Province
2 L. vestitus
                              35. Corolla dark purple to wine-red, 16–20 mm; banner generally reflexed > 90°; South Coast, s Channel Islands, Peninsular Ranges
var. alefeldii
                              35' Corolla pale lavender to purple, 14–18 mm; banner bent ± 90°; Transverse Ranges and n
var. vestitus
                            34' Flowers generally loosely spaced, either 2–10 and corollas 8–15 mm or 2–4 and corollas 13–25 mm; leaflets 4–10, opposite or subopposite; especially Klamath Ranges, Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada
 
                              36. Leaflets generally opposite, generally widely ovate or elliptic; inflorescence 2–4-flowered; corolla 13–25 mm
2 L. nevadensis var. nevadensis
                              36' Leaflets generally subopposite or irregularly arranged, ovate to linear; inflorescence 2–10-flowered; corolla 8–15 mm
 
                                37. Stipules widely ovate-triangular, often toothed, conspicuous; calyx glabrous except lobes often ciliate; corolla generally 10–14 mm, banner little upcurved above other petals
L. brownii
                                37' Stipules lanceolate, not toothed, often inconspicuous; calyx generally hairy; corolla 10–16 mm, banner generally more reflexed than other petals
4 L. lanszwertii var. lanszwertii


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