Lathyrus niger
Blackening pea ( Lathyrus niger)
The blackening pea ( Lathyrus niger), also black Expectant pea, pea Black or Dark pea called, is one Fabaceae ( Faboideae ) of the genus Lathyrus. It blooms in the months of May to July. The name has this kind of that they are leaves during drying black.
Shoots and leaves
The blackening pea is a perennial herbaceous plant with short, thick, woody " rhizome ". The rung is mostly bald, dull green and drying usually dark brown to black-brown becoming. The stem usually grows singly and erect, more or less 30 to 90 cm high, usually way branching with 2 or 4 strong edges, rather thin and soft, the youngest parts are hairy, more or less short.
The leaves are clearly two lines, about 4-9 cm long, with 4-6 pair of leaves and with a short, often shrouded shaped elongated tip, provided expiring spindle. The leaves are elliptic to ovate, rarely linear, more or less 1 to 3 cm long and 5-11 mm wide, mostly obtuse and apiculate short, rather thin, bald, provided with reticular associated Fiedernerven, both sides matt and stained hand a little brighter.
The stipules are barely half as long as the leaves and half arrow-shaped.
Flowers, fruits, seeds
The racemose inflorescences are one-sided, shorter to three times as long as the leaves, with arched protruding, hairy adjacent axes and about 3 to 10 flowers in the axils of small, decrepit bracts supporting. The flowers are more or less 10 to 12 mm long and sit at about 2 to 3 mm long stalks. The calyx is bell-shaped, usually reddish or brown crowded, crooked trimmed and equipped with short, triangular teeth. The crown is dull purple to brownish and wilting violettlich. The flag is folded and hardly longer than the much lighter boat, the wings are slightly shorter.
The legumes are spreading, linear, about 4.5 to 6 cm long and 4-6 mm wide, flattened, smooth indistinct netzaderig, ripe black becoming equipped and with about 10 seeds.
The seeds are round to oval, smooth and olive green to brown in color.
The species has the chromosome number 2n = 14
Distribution and habitat requirements
Lathyrus niger arrives in Europe, north to southern Scandinavia, east to Russia, the Caucasus, the Balkans and Italy, southern France, the Iberian Peninsula and North Africa before.
In Germany, the blackening pea occurs mainly in the center and south. There she is partially used, but rarely. In Bavaria, it can be found north of the Danube in particular.
The species is an extremely thermophilic forest plant. She prefers south-facing slopes on mineral soils. It is most common in light deciduous forests, but also in pine forests on not too dry, slightly calcareous soil. In addition, like it grows on forest fringes. Phytosociological it is in central Europe Ordnungscharakterart the order Quercetalia pubescentis, but also occurs in Carpinion companies and Geranion sanguinei companies
Subspecies
In Europe komen two subspecies:
- Lathyrus niger subsp. niger; it is in Europe the widespread subspecies
- Lathyrus niger subsp. JORDANII ( Ten. ) Arcangeli; it differs in tuberous thickened roots and occurs only in southern Italy and in Corsica