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Lathyrus sativus

Plants

Family: Fabaceae · Genus: Lathyrus

Lathyrus sativus

Curtis, William The Botanical Magazine, Vol. 4 · public_domain

About

Lathyrus sativus, also known as grass pea, peagrass, cicerchia, blue sweet pea, chickling pea, chickling vetch, Indian pea, white pea and white vetch, is a legume commonly grown for human consumption and livestock feed in Asia and East Africa. It is a particularly important crop in areas that are prone to drought and famine, and is thought of as an 'insurance crop' as it produces reliable yields when all other crops fail. The seeds contain a neurotoxin that causes lathyrism, a neurodegenerative disease, if eaten as a primary protein source for a prolonged period.

Summary from Wikipedia

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Growing details and traits for Lathyrus sativus in the Library.

No cultivars in the Library yet — the full profile above covers the species itself.