Black-pea (Lathyrus niger, Syst. Verz. Erf.: 247 (1800))

Family: Fabaceae

Author: (L.) Bernh.

Bibliography: Syst. Verz. Erf.: 247 (1800)

Year: 1800

Status: accepted

Rank: species

Genus: Lathyrus

Vegetable: False

Observations: Europe to Caucasus, NW. Africa

Description

Lathyrus niger, commonly known as Black-pea, is a notable member of the Fabaceae family. This plant species is indigenous to a broad geographical range extending from Europe all the way to the Caucasus region, and it has also been observed in Northwestern Africa.

First formally described in the year 1800, with its bibliography entry noted as Syst. Verz. Erf.: 247, the Black-pea carries the authority abbreviation (L.) Bernh., signifying its formal botanical description by the botanist who classified it.

As a member of the legume family, Lathyrus niger shares characteristics typical of Fabaceae, including the ability to fix nitrogen in the soil, a beneficial trait for natural and agricultural ecosystems. The Black-pea thrives in a variety of habitats, which has enabled its wide distribution across different continents.

This plant’s ability to adapt to various environmental conditions and its role within the ecosystem highlight the diversity and importance of Fabaceae family members in global biodiversity.

Common Names

Eng: black pea, black-pea, black bitter vetch
Deu: dunkle platterbse, schwarzwerdende platterbse, schwarze platterbse
Dan: sort fladbælg
Fra: gesse noire
Lav: melna dedestina
Fin: mustalinnunherne
Swe: mustalinnunherne, vippärt
Nob: svarterteknapp
Nno: svarterteknapp
Nld: zwarte lathyrus
Ita: cicerchia nera
Est: must seahernes
Cym: pysen borffor, ytbys du, ytbysen ddu
En: Black-pea, Black bitter vetch, Blackening flat pea, Black Pea
Ar: جلبان أسود
Be: Сачавічнік чорны
Bg: Черно секирче
Cs: Hrachor černý
Da: Sort fladbælg
Nl: Zwarte lathyrus
Et: Must seahernes
Fi: Mustalinnunherne
Fr: “Gesse noire, Orobe noir”, Gesse noire, Gesse noircissante, Orobe noir
De: Dunkle Platterbse, Schwärzende Platterbse, Schwarze Platterbse, Schwarzwerdende Platterbse, Schwarze-Platterbse, Schwarze-Walderbse
It: Cicerchia nera
Lv: Melna dedestina
No: Svarterteknapp
Nb: Svarterteknapp
Nn: Svarterteknapp
Fa: خلر سیاه
Pl: Groszek czerniejący
Sv: Vippärt, Mustalinnunherne
Uk: Чина чорна
Cy: Ytbysen ddu, Pysen Borffor, Ytbys Du

Synonyms

• Pisum nigrum ((L.) E.H.L.Krause)
• Orobus niger (L.)

Distribution

• Albania (native)
• Algeria (native)
• Austria (native)
• Baltic States (native)
• Belarus (native)
• Belgium (native)
• Bulgaria (native)
• Central European Rus (native)
• Czechoslovakia (native)
• Denmark (native)
• East European Russia (native)
• Finland (native)
• France (native)
• Germany (native)
• Great Britain (native)
• Greece (native)
• Hungary (native)
• Italy (native)
• Krym (native)
• Lebanon-Syria (native)
• Morocco (native)
• North Caucasus (native)
• Northwest European R (native)
• Norway (native)
• Poland (native)
• Portugal (native)
• Romania (native)
• South European Russi (native)
• Spain (native)
• Sweden (native)
• Switzerland (native)
• Tunisia (native)
• Turkey (native)
• Turkey-in-Europe (native)
• Ukraine (native)
• Yugoslavia (native)

Additional Images

Flower

Taken May 15, 2022 by Eszter Kovács (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 18, 2016 by Tela Botanica − Yoan MARTIN (cc-by-sa)

Taken May 8, 2019 by Eric Esnault (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 2, 2019 by eddigrün (cc-by-sa)

Taken May 13, 2007 by Lugifa Lugifa (cc-by-sa)

Leaf

Taken Jun 18, 2016 by Tela Botanica − Yoan MARTIN (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 18, 2016 by Tela Botanica − Yoan MARTIN (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 18, 2016 by Tela Botanica − Yoan MARTIN (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 18, 2016 by Tela Botanica − Yoan MARTIN (cc-by-sa)

Taken Feb 20, 2020 by mkhanyisi mkhanyisi centane (cc-by-sa)

Other

Taken Aug 15, 2005 by Photoflora – Jean-Luc TASSET (©)

Taken Jan 1, 1970 by Photoflora – L’Abbé COSTE (©)

Taken May 15, 2011 by Photoflora – Benoit BOCK (©)

Taken Jul 31, 1851 by Tela Botanica − Herbier PONTARLIER-MARICHAL (cc-by-sa)

Taken May 5, 2019 by huy HO (cc-by-sa)

Habit

Taken Jun 5, 2010 by Tela Botanica − Hugues TINGUY (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 10, 2019 by Tela Botanica − Sylvain Piry (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 10, 2019 by Tela Botanica − Sylvain Piry (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 10, 2021 by Rossen Vassilev (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 18, 2016 by Tela Botanica − Yoan MARTIN (cc-by-sa)

© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Fruit

Taken Jul 19, 2019 by Tela Botanica − Claude Viquesnel (cc-by-sa)

Taken Sep 4, 2011 by Tela Botanica − Mathieu MENAND (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 10, 2019 by Tela Botanica − Sylvain Piry (cc-by-sa)

Taken May 27, 2012 by Tela Botanica − Sylvain PIRY (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 10, 2021 by Rossen Vassilev (cc-by-sa)

Bark

Taken Oct 1, 2021 by Jiajun Zhang (cc-by-sa)

Taken Aug 1, 2021 by Aurélie G. (cc-by-sa)

Taken May 15, 2011 by Photoflora – Benoit BOCK (©)

Taken Jul 19, 2019 by Tela Botanica − Claude Viquesnel (cc-by-sa)

Sources

• WFO (No URL)
• IPNI (No URL)
• GBIF (https://www.gbif.org/species/5356662)
• POWO (http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:501886-1)
• PlantNet (https://identify.plantnet.org/species/the-plant-list/Lathyrus niger (L.) Bernh.)

Specifications

Growth

Ph maximum: 7.5

Ph minimum: 7.0

Light: 5

Atmospheric humidity: 5

Bloom months: [‘may’, ‘jun’, ‘jul’]

Soil nutriments: 3