Lathyrus humilis

Family: Fabaceae

What it is like

A herb. It keeps growing from year to year. It grows 20-30 cm tall. The stems are slender, erect and sometimes branching. They are hairy. The leaves have leaflets along the stalk. There are weak tendrils. There are 3 to 4 pairs of leaflets that are oval and 15-30 mm long by 10-20 mm wide. There are 2-5 flowers in a group. They are red to purple. The pod is 4-5 cm long. The seeds are oval and red-brown.

Where it is found

It grows in cold desert in north India. In north China it grows on the edges of forests and in grasslands below 2,500 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, China, Himalayas, India, Korea, Mongolia, Russia

How it is used for food

The seeds and pods are eaten raw.

Edible parts

Seeds, pods

How it is grown

In China plants flower in May to July and fruit August to September.

Its other names

Local names

Kaown

Synonyms

Lathyrus altaicus Ledeb.; Lathyrus ovatus Benth.; Lathyrus ovatus Royle; Orobus humilis Ser.;