Bitter vetch, Lentil vetch
Vicia ervilia

Family: Fabaceae

What it is like

An annual herb. It is low and does not have tendrils. It grows up to 70 cm high. The leaves end with a short awn. There are 8-15 pairs of leaflets. The flowers are white with purple or red tinges. They are 6-9 mm long. There are 1-4 flowers in a group. The pods are yellow or red. They are 10-30 mm long and constricted between the seeds.

There are about 140 Vicia species. They are mostly temperate. The plant is used for cattle feed.

Where it is found

It grows in waste places and on stony ground. It grows in areas with an annual rainfall between 300-1,160 mm. It can grow in acid, neutral or alkaline soils. It can grow in soils with a pH between 5.6-8.2. It grows in areas with an annual temperature between 9°-20° C. It can grow from sea level up to 2,700 m above sea level in some locations. It can tolerate frost and drought. It can grow in arid places.

Countries/locations it is found in

Afghanistan, Africa, Albania, Algeria, Armenia, Asia, Austria, Balkans, Bulgaria, Canary Islands, Caucasus, Cyprus, Czech Republic, East Africa, Egypt, Europe, France, Germany, Greece, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Kenya, Lebanon, Libya, Mediterranean, Middle East, Morocco, Mozambique, North Africa, North America, Pakistan, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, Türkiye, USA, Yugoslavia

How it is used for food

The seed are eaten in soup. They can also be boiled, roasted and made into flour.

It is cultivated.

Edible parts

Seeds, fruit

How it is grown

Plants are grown from seeds. It is often grown with cereal crops.

The average yield is 1,600 kg/ha.

Its other names

Local names

Bakil, Ervil, Garfallah, Kersana, Kersenne, Kizin, Kiznok, Kurushna, Lečnata grašica

Synonyms

Ervum ervilia L.