About Lathyrus cicera L.
Lathyrus cicera L. is a species of wild pea that has the common names red pea, red vetchling, and flatpod peavine. It is native to Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East, and occurs as an introduced species in other regions. This hairless annual herb grows a slightly winged stem. Its leaves are each composed of two leaflike linear leaflets that measure 3 to 6 centimeters (1.2 to 2.4 inches) long, and each leaf also produces branched, curling tendrils. The inflorescence holds one single pea flower, 1 to 1.5 centimeters (0.39 to 0.59 inches) wide, that comes in varying shades of red. The fruit produced by the species is a hairless dehiscent legume pod. Lathyrus cicera is one type of pea that is known to cause lathyrism. Even so, under the name cicerchia, it was counted among the foods enjoyed by wealthy Milanese, and it was listed at length by Bonvesin de la Riva in his 1288 work "Marvels of Milan".
