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Lathyrus japonicus (Beach pea)
Copyright © 2006
Mary Jo Adams
The beach pea, a member of the legume or pea family, can be found among drift logs and other sandy areas of the backshore along the American West Coast from Alaska to California. It is also present along the Great Lakes and the Atlantic Coast of the U.S., and in Chile, and Japan. In the Pacific Northwest it is a native species and flowers from May until September. Flower colors range from light blue to dark purple. The compound leaf is made up of 6-12 leaflets, there are two triangular leaf-like structures (stipules) at the base of the compound leaf, and there are tendrils at the leaf tips. Other common names for this species are sea pea and sand pea. Lathyrus japonicus has also been known under the scientific name L. maritimus. A similar species, Lathyrus littoralis, is found along the open coast. Its leaves are very hairy, the flowers are pink or white, and there are no tendrils on the leaves.
This
page was created by Mary Jo Adams on 8/22/06.
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