Veiny Pea, Veiny Vetchling, Wild Pea, Lathyrus venosus Muhl. ex Willd., Native Minnesota Wildflower plant, Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden

	Plants of the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden
	Common Name	Scientific Name	Plant Family	Garden Location	Prime Season
	Veiny Pea	Lathyrus venosus Muhl. ex Willd.	Pea	Upland	Late Spring to Early Summer
Other names and notes	(Veiny Vetchling, Wild Pea). One of few late May - early June blooming plants in the Upland Garden, the long leaves with usually 8 to 12 leaflets each, have a tendril at the end and at the base of the leaves is a stipule (small leaf-like growth) that has somewhat of an arrow shape. the pinkish-bluish irregular flowers are similar to most peas in appearance but grow in a raceme. The stems sprawl on other plants. The plant spreads by rootstocks (rhizomes) and like most vetches, care should be taken in planting this in the home garden.


Above and below: The flower racemes of June.	Below: Note the tendrils at end of the leaves and (Bottom photo) the unique stipule at the base of the leaf stalk.

Notes: This plant is indigenous to the Garden area. Eloise Butler catalogued it on May 31, 1907. She planted additional plants on June 15, 1910 with plants obtained in Glenwood Park (which surrounds the Garden). It is native throughout Minnesota except for a handful of scattered counties. It is considered in endangered in several midwest and eastern states. Lore: Densmore recorded a number of Native American uses for the plant - see

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References: Plant characteristics are generally from sources 15, 16, 30, 31, 33, W2 & W3. Distribution principally from W2 and also 31, 34 and W1. Planting history generally from 1, 4 & 4a. Other sources by specific reference. See Reference List for details.

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