Lathyrus brownii
Brown's brush pea
Family: Fabaceae · Type: Perennial · Native
Lathyrus brownii (Brown's brush pea) is a native California perennial in the Fabaceae family, recognized by distinctive upturned banner petal and mountain habitat.
Brown's brush pea is a California native perennial found in northern coastal, Klamath Ranges, Cascade Range, and northern Sierra Nevada Mountains in dry, open woodland and streambank habitats at elevations of 1,000 to 1,700 meters. Flowering from April to July, this plant produces blue-purple to pale pink flowers in clusters of 2 to 6 blooms, with petals upcurved and banner standing nearly 90 degrees above other petals. Growing with slender stems that are angled or flanged, it reaches moderate heights with delicate branching tendrils. Its leaves feature 6 to 10 leaflets, typically ovate or elliptic, ranging from 1 to 5 centimeters long, accompanied by widely ovate-triangular stipules that are often toothed. The plant produces glabrous fruits that complete its elegant woodland presence.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 25 sympatric species; distinctive upturned banner petal and mountain habitat
Habitat and range
Habitat: Dry, open woodland, streambanks
Elevation: 1000-1700 m
California counties: Modoc, Siskiyou, Sierra, Lassen, Plumas, Butte, Tehama, Yuba, Shasta, Colusa, Humboldt, Trinity, Tulare, Lake
Outside California: southern Oregon
Bloom period
Lathyrus brownii blooms Apr-Jul.
How to tell it apart
vs Vicia: Lathyrus style is flattened with hairs on top only; Vicia style is round and hairy all around.; vs Pickeringia: Lathyrus has tendrils and compound leaves; Pickeringia is a spiny shrub with simple leaves.; vs Pisum: Lathyrus has small normal stipules; Pisum has giant leafy stipules larger than leaflets.; vs Lupinus: Lathyrus has two leaflets and tendrils; Lupinus has palmate leaves with no tendrils.; vs Hosackia: Lathyrus has exactly two leaflets and tendrils; Hosackia has 3-9 leaflets with no tendrils.
Frequently asked questions
Is Lathyrus brownii native to California?
Yes. Lathyrus brownii is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Lathyrus brownii bloom?
Lathyrus brownii blooms Apr-Jul.
Where in California does Lathyrus brownii grow?
Lathyrus brownii occurs in Modoc, Siskiyou, Sierra, Lassen, Plumas, Butte, Tehama, Yuba and other counties, at elevations of 1000-1700 m.
What plant family does Lathyrus brownii belong to?
Lathyrus brownii is in the Fabaceae family, genus Lathyrus.
What habitat does Lathyrus brownii grow in?
Lathyrus brownii grows in Dry, open woodland, streambanks.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-09-30
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.