Vicia sylvatica

Forest Vetch (Vicia sylvatica)

The forest - vetch (Vicia sylvatica ) is a plant that the subfamily Fabaceae ( Faboideae ) belongs within the legume family ( Fabaceae or Leguminosae). It is widespread in Eurasia.

• 5.1 Notes and references

Description

Appearance and leaf

The forest - vetch is a perennial, herbaceous plant. It has long underground runners. The four -edged, ridged, bare stems are usually about 1 to 2, rarely up to 4 meters long and limp climbing or prostrate.

The change-constant leaves are pinnate paired with six to nine Fiederblattpaaren. The leaves ending in a tendril. The stipules are semi- reniform to crescent -shaped, deeply divided in seven to ten long aristate tip ( only the uppermost often entire margins ).

Inflorescence and flower

The flowering period extends from June to September. 10 to 15 nodding flowers are in einseitswendigen racemose inflorescences ( in very shady locations armblütig ) together.

The hermaphrodite flowers are zygomorphic and fünfzählig double perianth. The petals are whitish with blue violet -veined (rarely all white or purple ) flag and usually purple tatting.

Ecology

The vegetative propagation is done by underground runners.

Pollination is by bees stronger.

Occurrence

The forest - vetch is widespread in Eurasia. It comes from the south of France before to Siberia. In Europe, the forest - vetch is widespread in the Alps, especially in the North chains, but also comes in south of France to the Balkans, Northern Europe.

The forest - vetch grows at altitudes between about 600 to 2300 meters. As the site fresh forests, forest edges, forest blows Hochstaudenfluren are preferred by the montane to subalpine altitudinal zone.

In Austria, the forest - vetch is found scattered ( missing in Burgenland and Vienna).

System

The first publication of Vicia sylvatica was in 1753 by Linnaeus in Species Plantarum, 2, pp. 734

Vicia sylvatica belongs to Vicilla section of the subgenus in the genus Vicia Vicilla.