Putnam Park Wildflowers


Flower ID: IMG_0573.JPG-05-31-2017
Flower name (scientific): Lathyrus ochroleucus Hooker PY: 1834. Pronunciation guide: (phonetic spelling) lah-THY-russ (or LATH-e-rus or LATH-uh-rus) o-kro-LI-kus (or ock-roh-LEW-kus)
Flower name (common): Cream Pea
Family name (common): Pea
Family name (scientific): Fabaceae
Scientific name origin:
     Genus: From the Greek word lathyros, for legume (pea, bean).
    Specific epithet: From the Greek word ochros, for pale-yellow, and leukos, meaning white, hence yellowish-white.
Common name origin: From the flower color and from the approximate similarity of the fruit to the seed pod of the common vegetable pea Pisum sativum var. sativum. Also, the flowers have a shape characteristic of the flowers of the other pea plants.
Flower description:
     Size: 0.4 to 0.6 inches (1.0 to 1.5 cm)
     Petal count: 5
     Color: white
     Other: flower arrangement, Raceme
Plant description: Erect
     Size: 12 to 36 inches (30 to 91 cm) tall.
     Stem hairy:
     Other:
Leaf description: attachment is alternate, type is compound
     Size: Leaflets are up to 5 cm long and 3 cm wide.
     Color:
     Hairy:
     Other: Shape: leaf, even-pinnate, leaflet, oval-ovate (IL)
Origin (native, introduced, invasive): Native
Status (common, uncommon, threatened, rare): Common
Bloom time (typical): May to July
Cycle (annual, biennial, perennial): Perennial
Habitat: Woodlands, forests, cliffs, shade or part shade, shade, dry.
Fruit:
Seed:
Importance to wildlife:
Similar species (if any): Lathyrus ochroleucus can be distinguished from other Lathyrus species by both the flower color, and the relatively large (13 to 25 mm) leafy stipules.
Ethnobotany: The Ojibwe utilized this plant to treat stomach problems. They also use the root as a food source and treat it like a potato (Smith, pp. 372-373, 406, 1932).
Latitude:
Longitude:
Altitude:
Distribution: In Wisconsin: (Adams, Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Brown, Buffalo, Burnett, Calumet, Chippewa, Clark, Columbia, Dane, Dodge, Door, Douglas, Dunn, Eau Claire, Fond du Lac, Forest, Grant, Green, Green Lake, Iowa, Jackson, Jefferson, Juneau, Kenosha, La Crosse, Lafayette, Lincoln, Manitowoc, Marathon, Marinette, Marquette, Menominee, Milwaukee, Monroe, Oconto, Oneida, Outagamie, Ozaukee, Pierce, Polk, Portage, Price, Racine, Richland, Rock, Rusk, Sauk, Sawyer, Shawano, Sheboygan, St. Croix, Taylor, Trempealeau, Vernon, Vilas, Walworth, Washburn, Washington, Waukesha, Waupaca, Waushara, Winnebago, Wood) Click here for distribution map
In US: (AK, IA, ID, IL, IN, KY, MI, MN, MT, ND, NE, NJ, NY, OH, PA, SD, VT, WA, WI, WY)
In Canada: (AB, BC, MB, NT, ON, QC, SK, YT)
References:
Synonym(s):
Basionym: na
Homotypic Synonym(s):
Heterotypic Synonym(s):
Autonym: na