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A Walk in Fern Bluff Park Page 10: Everlasting Pea (Lathyrus latifolius) Archives of previous walks in the park: 12 May 2007, 05 May 2007; 28 April 2007, 21 April 2007, 14 April 2007, 1 April 2007 Easter Egg Hunt; 24 March 2007, 17 March 2007; Nov. 03, 2001; April 04, 2001; March 25, 15, 10-11, 04, 2001; February 24, 18, 10, 2001 |
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The flattened stem is shown below, along with one of the tendrils found at the tips of each stem branch. These tendrils are well-developed in this species.
The generic name, Lathyrus, is the Greek name for the pea. The species, latifolius, refers to its broad leaves (see at right). Thus ends this walk in Fern Bluff park... Archives of previous walks in the park: 12 May 2007, 05 May 2007; 28 April 2007, 21 April 2007, 14 April 2007, 1 April 2007 Easter Egg Hunt; 24 March 2007, 17 March 2007; Nov. 03, 2001; April 04, 2001; March 25, 15, 10-11, 04, 2001; February 24, 18, 10, 2001
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In the southwest sector
of the park, in a small clearing between the east and west paths, are
found several of these small vines. The small, red-purple flowers are
perched atop long stalks known as peduncles. The flower stalks are
leafless, and serve primarily to support their terminal flowers which, in
this species, normally number from 5-15 on each stalk. This early in the
season, it is not unusual to find only a few, as shown here, in the
initial blooms. These have arrived a bit early, as this species normally
does not present flowers until early April. That may explain why so few
flowers are present on this plant's peduncles. L. latifolius
continues to bloom thrugh July, and that will give us a chance to see the
more typical 5-15 flowers to a stalk later on. While the flower stalks
have essentially cylindrical cross sections, the main stem of the plant is
flattened, which is one of the identifying features of this species.
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