dcsimg

Associations

provided by BioImages, the virtual fieldguide, UK
Foodplant / miner
larva of Agromyza bicophaga mines leaf of Vicia cracca
Other: sole host/prey

In Great Britain and/or Ireland:
Plant / resting place / on
puparium of Agromyza erythrocephala may be found on stem of Vicia cracca

Plant / resting place / on
puparium of Agromyza marionae may be found on stem of Vicia cracca

Foodplant / gall
larva of Apion aethiops causes gall of stem of Vicia cracca
Other: major host/prey

Foodplant / internal feeder
larva of Apion cerdo feeds within pod (feeding on unripe seeds) of Vicia cracca
Other: major host/prey

Foodplant / feeds on
larva of Apion craccae feeds on Vicia cracca

Foodplant / gall
larva of Apion gyllenhali causes gall of stem of Vicia cracca
Other: major host/prey

Foodplant / internal feeder
larva of Apion pomonae feeds within pod (on unripe seeds) of Vicia cracca
Other: major host/prey

Foodplant / feeds on
larva of Apion spencii feeds on Vicia cracca
Other: major host/prey

Foodplant / internal feeder
larva of Apion viciae feeds within flower (feeding on anthers, pistils) of Vicia cracca

Foodplant / feeds on
larva of Apion vorax feeds on Vicia cracca
Other: major host/prey

Foodplant / spot causer
epiphyllous, aggregated, minute, black pycnidium of Ascochyta coelomycetous anamorph of Ascochyta viciae causes spots on live pod of Vicia cracca
Remarks: season: 8-9

Foodplant / parasite
Erysiphe pisi var. pisi parasitises Vicia cracca

Foodplant / open feeder
larva of Hypera suspiciosa grazes on leaf of Vicia cracca
Other: major host/prey

Foodplant / parasite
sporangium of Peronospora viciae parasitises live Vicia cracca

Foodplant / spot causer
mostly hypophyllous colony of Ramularia anamorph of Ramularia sphaeroidea causes spots on leaf of Vicia cracca
Other: major host/prey

Plant / resting place / on
larva of Sericothrips gracilicornis may be found on live Vicia cracca
Remarks: season: 7-9

Foodplant / parasite
telium of Uromyces viciae-fabae var. viciae-fabae parasitises live Vicia cracca

Foodplant / gall
Vasates retiolatus causes gall of leaf of Vicia cracca

license
cc-by-nc-sa-3.0
copyright
BioImages
project
BioImages

Physical Description

provided by USDA PLANTS text
Perennial, Herbs, Plants with rhizomes or suckers, Nodules present, Stems or branches arching, spreading or decumbent, Stems prostrate, trailing, or mat forming, Stems less than 1 m tall, Climbing by tendrils, Stems solid, Stems or young twigs sparsely to densely hairy, Leaves alternate, Leaves petiolate, Stipules conspicuous, Stipules green, triangulate to lanceolate or foliaceous, Stipules persistent, Stipules free, Stipules cordate, lobed, or sagittate, Leaves compound, Leaves even pinnate, Leaf or leaflet margins entire, Leaflets opposite, Leaflets alternate or subopposite, Leaflets 10-many, Leaves hairy on one or both surfaces, Inflorescences racemes, Inflorescence axillary, Inflorescence secund, flowers mostly on one side, Bracts very small, absent or caducous, Flowers zygomorphic, Calyx 5-lobed, Calyx glabrous, Calyx hairy, Petals separate, Corolla papilionaceous, Petals clawed, Petals white, Petals blue, lavander to purple, or violet, Banner petal ovoid or obovate, Wing petals narrow, oblanceolate to oblong, Wing petals aur iculate, Wing tips obtuse or rounded, Keel tips obtuse or rounded, not beaked, Stamens 9-10, Stamens diadelphous, 9 united, 1 free, Filaments glabrous, Style terete, Style sharply bent, Style hairy, Style hairy on one side only, Style with distal tuft of hairs, Fruit a legume, Fruit stipitate, Fruit unilocular, Fruit freely dehiscent, Fruit oblong or ellipsoidal, Fruit exserted from calyx, Valves twisting or coiling after dehiscence, Fruit beaked, Fruit glabrous or glabrate, Fruit 3-10 seeded, Seeds ovoid to rounded in outline, Seed surface smooth, Seeds olive, brown, or black, Seed surface mottled or patchy.
license
cc-by-nc-sa-3.0
compiler
Dr. David Bogler
source
Missouri Botanical Garden
source
USDA NRCS NPDC
original
visit source
partner site
USDA PLANTS text

Vicia cracca

provided by wikipedia EN

Vicia cracca (tufted vetch, cow vetch, bird vetch, blue vetch, boreal vetch), is a species of flowering plant in the pea and bean family Fabaceae. It is native to Europe and Asia. It occurs on other continents as an introduced species, including North America, where it is a common weed. It often occurs in disturbed habitats, including old fields and roadside ditches.

Description

Cow vetch is in the family Fabaceae and similar to a pea in growth habit with climbing stems growing to 150 cm long, perennial,[1] sending out noose-like branched tendrils from the tips of its leaves when it contacts another plant and securely fastens itself. This can cause "strangling" of smaller plants. An individual plant may reach a length (or height) of 2 m with a white taproot, which may extend up to 1 m. The leaves are 3–8 cm long, pinnate, with 8–12 pairs of leaflets, each leaflet 5–10 mm long.

The plant is fast-growing and flowers prolifically, sending out 10 to 40 flowered one-sided racemes cascading pea-flower shaped purple to violet flowers from the leaf axil during its late spring to late summer flowering period. The flowers are mostly visited by bumblebees;[2] when the flowers drop off and tiny bright green seed pods 10–20 mm long, start to form.[3] Cow vetch is very similar to hairy vetch (Vicia villosa), but is distinguished from the latter by its smooth stem.

Legumes and seeds

The seed pods are 2 cm long and contain 6 to 8 seeds.[4] They resemble those of a very small pea. The tiny seeds within are ripe when the pods have turned black. Unripened seeds are swollen and have a green tint to them, but they unswell when they become ripe. The seed pods vary from light brown to dark brown with black spots.

Distribution

Vicia cracca is native to Europe and Asia, and has been introduced to large areas of North America.[5]

Habitat

Recorded as very frequent on waste ground as an introduced species occurring casually.[6] In hedges and waste places.[4]

Cultivation and uses

Cow vetch is widely used as a forage crop for cattle, and is beneficial to other plants because, like other leguminous plants, it enriches the soil in which it grows by its nitrogen-fixing properties. Cow vetch is also much appreciated by bees and butterflies as a source of nectar. The plant may also be used to curb erosion.

Owners of pet birds such as budgerigars often use cow vetch as a nutritious food; the birds are especially fond of the seeds but may also eat the foliage.

Its utility as a cover crop and source of green manure has encouraged the introduction and naturalisation of cow vetch far beyond its native range. In North America the plant is naturalised from southern Canada to upstate South Carolina; it is considered an invasive weed in some areas and its sale may be regulated.

Cow vetch can be a potentially detrimental species in areas where it is not native. The vetch may crowd out native plants, especially in areas of disturbed soil where the vetch may dominate before other plants have a chance to take hold. This is especially a concern in prairie and other natural habitat restoration or land reclamation projects in North America.

References

  1. ^ Parnell, J. and Curtis, T. (2012). Webb's An Irish Flora. Cork University Press. ISBN 978-185918-4783
  2. ^ Van Der Kooi, C. J.; Pen, I.; Staal, M.; Stavenga, D. G.; Elzenga, J. T. M. (2015). "Competition for pollinators and intra-communal spectral dissimilarity of flowers". Plant Biology. 18 (1): 56–62. doi:10.1111/plb.12328. PMID 25754608.
  3. ^ Clapham, A.R., Tutin, T.G. and Warburg, E.F. (1968). Excursion Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0 521 04656 4.
  4. ^ a b Webb, S.A., Parnell, J. and Doogue, D. (1996). An Irish Flora. Dundalgen Press Ltd. Dundalk. ISBN 0-85221-131-7.
  5. ^ Burnham, Robyn J. "Vicia cracca". Climbers. University of Michigan. Retrieved 12 February 2020.
  6. ^ Hackney, P. (Ed) 1992. Stewart and Corry's Flora of the North-east of Ireland Third Edition. Institute of Irish Studies. The Queen's University of Belfast. ISBN 0-85389-446-9

license
cc-by-sa-3.0
copyright
Wikipedia authors and editors
original
visit source
partner site
wikipedia EN

Vicia cracca: Brief Summary

provided by wikipedia EN

Vicia cracca (tufted vetch, cow vetch, bird vetch, blue vetch, boreal vetch), is a species of flowering plant in the pea and bean family Fabaceae. It is native to Europe and Asia. It occurs on other continents as an introduced species, including North America, where it is a common weed. It often occurs in disturbed habitats, including old fields and roadside ditches.

license
cc-by-sa-3.0
copyright
Wikipedia authors and editors
original
visit source
partner site
wikipedia EN