Lathyrus sylvestris

Read about Lathyrus sylvestris in the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture
Lathyrus sylvestris, Linn. Flat Pea. St. straggling or climbing, 3-5 ft. long, stout, winged, glabrous, with creeping rootstock: lfts. linear-lanceolate, thick, with winged lf.- stalk: peduncle 3-6-fld., equaling the leaves; flowers. 1/2 in long standard rose, with green spot on its back; wings purple at summit; keel greenish: pod lanceolate, 2-3 in. long. All summer. Eu.—Inferior ornamentally to other perennials; sometimes mentioned (in the domestic var. Wagneri) as a forage plant and for plowing under in a green state as a fertilizer. Grows well on poor, unimproved sandy soil, and is unaffected by frosts and droughts. For garden cultured, it may be sown in a seed-bed and transplanted when of suitable size. Its seeds in the wild state are said to be to some degree unhealthful, but in the cultured form this quality has been bred out. The above text is from the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture. It may be out of date, but still contains valuable and interesting information which can be incorporated into the remainder of the article. Click on "Collapse" in the header to hide this text.