Lathyrus polyphyllus
Leafy pea
(c) John A Haskins, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by John A Haskins · licence
Family: Fabaceae · Type: Vine · Native
Lathyrus polyphyllus (Leafy pea) is a native California vine in the Fabaceae family, recognized by large stipules and many-flowered one-sided inflorescence diagnostic.
Leafy pea is a California native perennial found in the Klamath Ranges and northern Coast Ranges in forest habitats at elevations below 1,500 meters. Flowering from April to August, this plant produces distinctive purple flowers 16 to 20 millimeters long in clusters of 6 to 12 blooms. Growing with robust, angled stems that can be quite tall, it develops a distinctive branched climbing structure with a coiled tendril. Its leaves feature large, widely ovate stipules over 1 centimeter wide and 10 to 16 elliptic to ovate leaflets 3 to 6 centimeters long, arranged in a subopposite to alternate pattern. The plant produces glabrous fruits, creating a clean, elegant profile in its forest woodland environment.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 19 sympatric species; large stipules and many-flowered one-sided inflorescence diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Forest
Elevation: < 1500 m
California counties: Humboldt, Siskiyou, Trinity, San Mateo, Del Norte, Mendocino, Tuolumne, Lake, Alameda, Marin, Tehama, Sonoma, Santa Barbara
Outside California: to Washington
Bloom period
Lathyrus polyphyllus blooms Apr-Aug.
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 polyphyllus native to California?
Yes. Lathyrus polyphyllus is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Lathyrus polyphyllus bloom?
Lathyrus polyphyllus blooms Apr-Aug.
Where in California does Lathyrus polyphyllus grow?
Lathyrus polyphyllus occurs in Humboldt, Siskiyou, Trinity, San Mateo, Del Norte, Mendocino, Tuolumne, Lake and other counties, at elevations of < 1500 m.
What plant family does Lathyrus polyphyllus belong to?
Lathyrus polyphyllus is in the Fabaceae family, genus Lathyrus.
What habitat does Lathyrus polyphyllus grow in?
Lathyrus polyphyllus grows in Forest.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.