[Vetches: The Genus Vicia West of the Cascade Mountains of Oregon and Washington]

American Vetch

Vicia americana var. americana

Synonyms: Vicia americana, Vicia americana ssp. americana, Vicia americana var. linearis, Vicia americana ssp. oregana, Vicia americana var. oregana, Vicia americana var. truncata, Vicia americana var. villosa, Vicia californica

American Vetch: Vicia americana var. americana (Synonyms: Vicia americana, Vicia americana ssp. americana, Vicia americana var. linearis, Vicia americana ssp. oregana, Vicia americana var. oregana, Vicia americana var. truncata, Vicia americana var. villosa, Vicia californica)

American vetch as seen along King Mountain Road in southwestern Oregon............April 27, 2012. Note the leaves and flower bud of a Lathyrus sp. in the left half of the image.

American Vetch: Vicia americana var. americana (Synonyms: Vicia americana, Vicia americana ssp. americana, Vicia americana var. linearis, Vicia americana ssp. oregana, Vicia americana var. oregana, Vicia americana var. truncata, Vicia americana var. villosa, Vicia californica) - American Vetch: Vicia americana var. americana (Synonyms: Vicia americana, Vicia americana ssp. americana, Vicia americana var. linearis, Vicia americana ssp. oregana, Vicia americana var. oregana, Vicia americana var. truncata, Vicia americana var. villosa, Vicia californica)

American vetch blooming along BLM Road 33-5-21 in NE Josephine County, OR.........June 11, 2017.

Inflorescence of American Vetch: Vicia americana var. americana (Synonyms: Vicia americana, Vicia americana ssp. americana, Vicia americana var. linearis, Vicia americana ssp. oregana, Vicia americana var. oregana, Vicia americana var. truncata, Vicia americana var. villosa, Vicia californica)

The photo above shows a close-up of the flowers of american vetch as seen at an elevations of about 4020' along Rd K6900 just below a DNR rock quarry atop the ridge dividing the Cougar and Dairy Creek drainages.........July 10, 2005.

Close-up of the stamens and stigma of a flower of American Vetch: Vicia americana var. americana (Synonyms: Vicia americana, Vicia americana ssp. americana, Vicia americana var. linearis, Vicia americana ssp. oregana, Vicia americana var. oregana, Vicia americana var. truncata, Vicia americana var. villosa, Vicia californica)

The photo above shows a close-up of the pistil and densely bearded tip of the style (looks like a whitish bottlebrush at upper right) which helps distinguish this species from the very similar peavines or leafy peas (genus Lathyrus) which have hairs along only one side of the style.

Pinnately compound leaf of American Vetch: Vicia americana var. americana (Synonyms: Vicia americana, Vicia americana ssp. americana, Vicia americana var. linearis, Vicia americana ssp. oregana, Vicia americana var. oregana, Vicia americana var. truncata, Vicia americana var. villosa, Vicia californica)

A leaflet of american vetch.........July 10, 2005. Note the squared off leaf tips and long tendril.

Close-up sideview of the inflorescence of American Vetch: Vicia americana var. americana Synonyms: Vicia americana, Vicia americana ssp. americana, Vicia americana var. linearis, Vicia americana ssp. oregana, Vicia americana var. oregana, Vicia americana var. truncata, Vicia americana var. villosa, Vicia californica)

The photo above shows a close-up sideview of the inflorescence of american vetch. Photographed on Washington DNR lands along the Troutlake - Glenwood Road adjacent to Conboy Lake NWR.........May 19, 2007.

Ventral view of the flowers of American Vetch: Vicia americana var. americana (Synonyms: Vicia americana, Vicia americana ssp. americana, Vicia americana var. linearis, Vicia americana ssp. oregana, Vicia americana var. oregana, Vicia americana var. truncata, Vicia americana var. villosa, Vicia californica)

The photo above shows an underside view of the flowers of american vetch.........July 10, 2005. Note the keel, which is much-shorter than the lateral wings.

American Vetch: Vicia americana var. americana (Synonyms: Vicia americana, Vicia americana ssp. americana, Vicia americana var. linearis, Vicia americana ssp. oregana, Vicia americana var. oregana, Vicia americana var. truncata, Vicia americana var. villosa, Vicia californica)

The photo above shows american vetch as seen at an elevations of about 4020' along Rd K6900 just below a DNR rock quarry atop the ridge dividing the Cougar and Dairy Creek drainages..........July 10, 2005.

Fruit of the American Vetch: Vicia americana var. americana (Synonyms: Vicia americana, Vicia americana ssp. americana, Vicia americana var. linearis, Vicia americana ssp. oregana, Vicia americana var. oregana, Vicia americana var. truncata, Vicia americana var. villosa, Vicia californica)

The photo above shows a close-up of the pod of american vetch as seen at an elevations of about 4020' along Rd K6900 just below a DNR rock quarry atop the ridge dividing the Cougar and Dairy Creek drainages........July 10, 2005.

American Vetch: Vicia americana var. americana (Synonyms: Vicia americana, Vicia americana ssp. americana, Vicia americana var. linearis, Vicia americana ssp. oregana, Vicia americana var. oregana, Vicia americana var. truncata, Vicia americana var. villosa, Vicia californica)

The photo above and below show the form of american vetch as seen along a riparian area along the Yakima-Klickitat County line at the southeastern edge of Mt. Adams.........May 29, 2006.

American Vetch: Vicia americana var. americana (Synonyms: Vicia americana, Vicia americana ssp. americana, Vicia americana var. linearis, Vicia americana ssp. oregana, Vicia americana var. oregana, Vicia americana var. truncata, Vicia americana var. villosa, Vicia californica)

American vetch as seen in a riparian area along Road K1000 east of the Mt. Adams Highway, Yakima County, WA..........2006.

Paul Slichter