Garden pea (Lathyrus oleraceus)

Garden pea (Lathyrus oleraceus) is a plant species in the Fabaceae family. It is an annual herb that grows by creeping or climbing, featuring cylindrical stems—either simple or branched—that can reach up to 2 meters in length. The stipules are large, bluish-green (glaucous) with white spots; they measure up to 80 mm in length and 38 mm in width, are cordate or semi-amplexicaul in shape, and have toothed margins near the base.

The leaves consist of 1–3 pairs of leaflets, each up to 6 cm long and 3.5 cm wide. These leaflets are oblong with shallow, sparse teeth; when young, they may exhibit white spots and red markings at the base. The plant produces tendrils that branch repeatedly. The peduncle supports 1–2 flowers and is 2–4 times the length of the stipules.

The flowers are bicolored. The calyx is 14 mm long and divided into 5 deep teeth, with the upper pair being larger than the other three. The upper petal (standard) is bright purple with blue veins; it is paler and gibbous (swollen) at the base, obcordate in shape with an emarginate (notched) tip, measuring 4.3 cm in width and 2.5 cm in length.

The lateral petals (wings) are dark purple with suborbicular blades, reaching up to 16 mm in length and 15 mm in width. The lower petals (keel) are greenish in color, strongly curved, and 12 mm long.

The fruit is a linear (elongated) pod, 3–10 cm in length, which splits open upon maturity. The seeds are globose, 5–6 mm in diameter, and dark brown in color; their surface is smooth (unwrinkled) and covered with small papillae. An individual pea weighs, on average, between 100 and 360 mg.

L. oleraceus grows optimally at temperatures between 13°C and 18°C, with a harvest period occurring approximately 60 days after planting. The karyotype consists of 7 chromosomes: 5 are acrocentric and 2 are submetacentric. The genome size is 4.45 Gb, making it more difficult to sequence compared to other legumes. In September 2019, the International Pea Genome Sequencing Consortium officially announced a draft covering 88% of the entire genome (3.92 Gb), containing 44,791 gene-coding sequences.

Raw green peas consist of 79% water, 14% carbohydrates, and 5% protein. A 100-gram serving provides 339 kilojoules (81 kilocalories) of food energy and is a rich source (20% or more of the Daily Value, DV) of vitamin C, vitamin K, and thiamin, while also containing moderate amounts (10–18% of the Daily Value) of various B vitamins and dietary minerals.

This species are commonly sold fresh, but are now also widely available canned, dried, or frozen. Freezing is considered the superior method, as it better preserves nutritional content. The peas are used in soups, stir-fries, and salads, or fried to be enjoyed as a snack.

TAXON

Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Tracheophyta
Subphylum: Angiospermae
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Genus: Lathyrus L. in Sp. Pl.: 729 (1753)
Species: Lathyrus oleraceus Lam. in Fl. Franç. 2: 580 (1779)

HOMOTYPIC SYNONYMS

Pisum arvense var. album Gray in Nat. Arr. Brit. Pl. 2: 612 (1821 publ. 1822)
Pisum commune subsp. sativum (L.) Bonnier & Layens in Tabl. Syn. Pl. Vasc. France: 87 (1894)
Pisum sativum L. in Sp. Pl.: 727 (1753)

HETEROTYPIC SYNONYMS

Lathyrus oleraceus var. arvensis (L.) H.Schaef., Coulot & Rabaute in Bull. Soc. Bot. Centre-Ouest. Numéro Spécial 46: 180 (2016)
Lathyrus oleraceus subsp. biflorus (Raf.) H.Schaef., Coulot & Rabaute (2016)
Lathyrus oleraceus subsp. oleraceus
Lathyrus schaeferi Kosterin in Vavilov J. Genet. Breed. 21: 168 (2017)
Pisum abyssinicum A.Braun in Flora 24: 268 (1841)
Pisum album Garsault in Fig. Pl. Méd.: t. 460 (1764)
Pisum arvense L. (1753)
Pisum arvense var. abyssinicum (A.Braun) Engl. in Abh. Königl. Akad. Wiss. Berlin 1891: 265 (1892)
Pisum arvense subsp. biflorum (Raf.) Arcang. in Comp. Fl. Ital., ed. 2: 518 (1894)
Pisum arvense var. humile Gray (1821 publ. 1822)
Pisum arvense subsp. humile Holmboe in Stud. Veg. Cyprus: 115 (1914)
Pisum arvense var. leptolobum (Rchb.) Demmler in Hort. Belge 4: 194 (1837)
Pisum arvense var. quadratum (L.) Gray (1821 publ. 1822)
Pisum arvense var. ramulare (Rchb.) Demmler (1837)
Pisum arvense var. rufum Gray (1821 publ. 1822)
Pisum arvense var. umbellatum (L.) Gray (1821 publ. 1822)
Pisum arvense var. variegatum Gray (1821 publ. 1822)
Pisum baclium Steud. in Nomencl. Bot., ed. 2. 2: 345 (1841)
Pisum biflorum Raf. in Caratt. Nuov. Gen.: 71 (1810)
Pisum borussicum Steud. (1841)
Pisum chlorospermum Steud. (1841)
Pisum coccineum Medik. in Vorles. Churpfälz. Phys.-Ökon. Ges. 2: 356 (1787)
Pisum coerulescens Steud. (1841)
Pisum commune Clavaud in Actes Soc. Linn. Bordeaux 38: 572 (1884)
Pisum commune subsp. arvense (L.) Bonnier & Layens (1894)
Pisum commune subsp. elatius (M.Bieb.) Bonnier & Layens (1894)
Pisum elatius M.Bieb. in Fl. Taur.-Caucas. 2: 151 (1808)
Pisum elatius f. album H.Lindb. in Acta Soc. Sci. Fenn., Ser. B, Opera Biol. 1(2): 88 (1932)
Pisum elatius subsp. caspicum Govorov in Kul't. Fl. SSSR 4: 252 (1937)
Pisum elatius var. eriospermum Rouy in G.Rouy & J.Foucaud, Fl. France 5: 282 (1899)
Pisum elatius var. leiospermum Rouy (1899)
Pisum elatius subsp. palestinicum Govorov (1937)
Pisum elatum Ser. in A.P.de Candolle, Prodr. 2: 368 (1825)
Pisum excorticatum Steud. (1841)
Pisum fertile Steud. (1841)
Pisum granulatum J.Lloyd in Fl. Loire-Inf.: 75 (1844)
Pisum hortense Asch. & Graebn. in Syn. Mitteleur. Fl. 6(2): 1066 (1910)
Pisum humile Mill. in Gard. Dict., ed. 8.: n.° 2 (1768)
Pisum humile Boiss. & Noë in P.E.Boissier, Diagn. Pl. Orient., ser. 2, 2: 45 (1856)
Pisum jomardii Schrank in Bot. Zeitung (Regensburg) 4: 309 (1805)
Pisum leptolobum Rchb. in Fl. Germ. Excurs. 2: 533 (1832)
Pisum macrocarpum (Ser.) Schur in Enum. Pl. Transsilv.: 172 (1866)
Pisum macrospermum Steud. (1841)
Pisum oleraceus var. govorovii Golodk. in Byull. Sredne-Aziatsk. Gosud. Univ. 21: 153 (1935)
Pisum praecox Steud. (1841)
Pisum prolificum Steud. (1841)
Pisum pumilio (Meikle) Greuter in Ann. Mus. Goulandris 1: 42 (1973)
Pisum quadratum (L.) Rchb. (1832)
Pisum ramulare Rchb. (1832)
Pisum roseum Steud. (1841)
Pisum rugosum Steud. (1841)
Pisum saccharatum (Ser.) Rchb. (1832)
Pisum sativum var. abyssinicum (A.Braun) Alef. in Landw. Fl.: 43 (1866)
Pisum sativum f. abyssinicum (A.Braun) Gams in G.Hegi, Ill. Fl. Mitt.-Eur. 4: 1613 (1924)
Pisum sativum subsp. abyssinicum (A.Braun) Govorov in Trudy Prikl. Bot. 24: 423 (1929-1930 publ. 1930)
Pisum sativum var. affine Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. alosti Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. anglicum Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. aphyllum V.P.Serdjuk & Stank. in Sborn. Nauchn. Trudov Prikl. Bot. Genet. Selekts. 154: 90 (2001)
Pisum sativum var. arcuatum Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. arvense (L.) Poir. in J.B.A.M.de Lamarck, Encycl. 5: 456 (1804)
Pisum sativum subsp. arvense (L.) Asch. & Graebn. (1910)
Pisum sativum subsp. asiaticum Govorov (1937)
Pisum sativum convar. axiphium Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. balticum Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. beckii Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. bedmannii Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. belgicum Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum subsp. biflorum (Raf.) Soldano in Nat. Bresciana 27: 52 (1990-1991 publ. 1992)
Pisum sativum var. bonum Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. borussicum Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum subsp. brevipedunculatum (P.H.Davis & Meikle) Ponert in Feddes Repert. 83: 636 (1972 publ. 1973)
Pisum sativum var. brevipedunculatum P.H.Davis & Meikle in Notes Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinburgh 29: 320 (1969)
Pisum sativum var. burbridgii Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. caeruleum Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. capucinorum Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. cerocarpum Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. cimitari Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. cirriferum V.P.Serdjuk & Stank. (2001)
Pisum sativum var. climax Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum subsp. commune (Clavaud) Govorov (1937)
Pisum sativum var. compocarpum Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. concertator Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. coronatum Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. debelii V.P.Serdjuk & Stank. (2001)
Pisum sativum var. denyeri Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. dicksonii Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. dinocarpum Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. doratocarpum Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. drozdii V.P.Serdjuk & Stank. (2001)
Pisum sativum var. durius Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum subsp. elatius (M.Bieb.) Asch. & Graebn. (1910)
Pisum sativum var. elatius (M.Bieb.) Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. episcopi Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. erfurtense Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. extraordinarium Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. flavidovexilleum Golodk. (1935)
Pisum sativum var. floridum V.P.Serdjuk & Stank. (2001)
Pisum sativum var. folgeri Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. fonticulorum Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. fulvum Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. funiculatum V.P.Serdjuk & Stank. (2001)
Pisum sativum var. furcans Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. garbuttii Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. genabanum Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum convar. glaucospermum Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. gloriosum Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. govorovii Golodk. (1935)
Pisum sativum var. gratiosum Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. heinemannii Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. heraticum Golodk. (1935)
Pisum sativum var. hibernicum Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. hollandicum Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. hortense Neilr. in Fl. Nied.-Oesterr.: 964 (1859)
Pisum sativum subsp. hortense (Neilr.) Asch. & Graebn. (1910)
Pisum sativum var. humile (Mill.) Ser. (1825)
Pisum sativum subsp. humile Greuter, Matthäs & Risse in Willdenowia 14: 283 (1984 publ. 1985)
Pisum sativum convar. humile Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. humillimum Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. indehiscens V.P.Serdjuk & Stank. (2001)
Pisum sativum var. jessenii Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. jomardii Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. laurentii Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum subvar. limitatum V.P.Serdjuk & Stank. (2001)
Pisum sativum subsp. macrocarpum (Ser.) Arcang. (1882)
Pisum sativum var. macrocarpum Ser. (1825)
Pisum sativum var. majale Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. marmoratum Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum convar. medullare Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. megalepiscopi Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. melanocarpum Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. melileucum Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. melioratum Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. mellitum Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. mesomelan Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. michauxii Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. microspermum Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. microtatum Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. miroshnikovae V.P.Serdjuk & Stank. (2001)
Pisum sativum var. moniliforme V.P.Serdjuk & Stank. (2001)
Pisum sativum var. mumiorum Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. nanoviride Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. nanum Gaudin in Fl. Helv. 4: 481 (1829)
Pisum sativum var. navale Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum subsp. pachylobum Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. patris Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. pedale Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. perfectum Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. persistens V.P.Serdjuk & Stank. (2001)
Pisum sativum var. pervicaz Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum subvar. phaeospermum V.P.Serdjuk & Stank. (2001)
Pisum sativum var. pliculum Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. polycarpum V.P.Serdjuk & Stank. (2001)
Pisum sativum subvar. pomaceum V.P.Serdjuk & Stank. (2001)
Pisum sativum var. ponderosum Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. popovae V.P.Serdjuk & Stank. (2001)
Pisum sativum var. postmajale Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. postrourkeanum Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. praecox Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. pretiosum Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. princeps Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. procerum Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. pseudepiscopi Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. pumilio Meikle in Notes Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinburgh 29: 320 (1969)
Pisum sativum subsp. pumilio (Meikle) Ponert (1972 publ. 1973)
Pisum sativum var. quadratum L. (1753)
Pisum sativum var. raglanii Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. ramstadinum Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. reginae Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. richardsonii Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. roseum Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. rourkeanum Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. rugosum Demmler (1837)
Pisum sativum subsp. saccharatum (Ser.) Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. saccharatum Ser. (1825)
Pisum sativum var. sanguivittatum Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. schevczenkoi V.P.Serdjuk & Stank. (2001)
Pisum sativum var. schneebergeri Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. scoticum Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. serratum Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. smyrnense Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. solis Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. solovjevae V.P.Serdjuk & Stank. (2001)
Pisum sativum convar. speciosum Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. storkii Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. stuartii Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. subifoliatum Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. sumbajale Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum subsp. syriacum A.Berger in U.P.Hedrick, Veg. New York 1(1): 17 (1928)
Pisum sativum var. thebaicum (Willd.) Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum subsp. transcaucasicum Govorov (1937)
Pisum sativum var. umbellatum L. (1753)
Pisum sativum var. unionis Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. variegatum (C.Presl) Clavaud ex Corb. in Nouv. Fl. Normandie: 173 (1894)
Pisum sativum var. viridipunctulum Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. vitellinum Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum convar. vulgare Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. wardii Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. waterlooensis Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. wickeri Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. willichii Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. woodfortii Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum convar. xiphocarpum Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. zaubitzii Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. zelenovii V.P.Serdjuk & Stank. (2001)
Pisum sativum var. zeylanicum Alef. (1866)
Pisum sativum var. ziganokii V.P.Serdjuk & Stank. (2001)
Pisum sativum var. zubovii V.P.Serdjuk & Stank. (2001)
Pisum sibiricum Steud. (1841)
Pisum smyrnense Steud. (1841)
Pisum syriacum C.O.Lehm. ex El-Gadi & al. in Willdenowia 16: 410 (1987)
Pisum tetragonum Pasq. in Cat. Ort. Bot. Napoli: 81 (1867)
Pisum thebaicum Willd. in Enum. Pl. Hort. Berol., Suppl.: 51 (1814)
Pisum transcaucasicum (Govorov) Stankov in S.S.Stankov & V.I.Taliev, Syst. Classif. Vasc. Pl. Eur. Russ.: 468 (1949)
Pisum tuffetii R.Lesson in Fl. Rochefort.: 170 (1835)
Pisum umbellatum (L.) Mill. (1768)
Pisum uniflorum Moench in Methodus: 160 (1794)
Pisum variegatum C.Presl in Fl. Sicul.: xxiii (1826)
Pisum viride Steud. (1841)
Pisum vulgare S.B.Jundz. in Opisan. Rósl.: 305 (1811)
Pisum zeylanicum Steud. (1841)

PUBLICATIONS

(2024). https://doi.org/10.14258/turczaninowia.27.1.7. epublication. Coi, B.H. in Lee, Yong No (2024). Flora of Korea 5a-3: 1-97. Kyo-Hak Publ. Co., Ltd.

Dar, G.H. & Govaerts, R.H.A. (2025). Flora of Kashmir Himalaya: Sind Valley 1: 1-606. Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh, Dehradun, India.

Hassler, M. & Muer, T. (2022). Flora Germanica: alle Farn- und Blütenpflanzen Deutschlands in Text und Bild 1: 1-864. Verlag Regionalkultur, Uberstadt-Weiher.

Kenicer, G.J. & Parsons, R. (2021). Lathyrus: The Complete Guide: 1-511. RHS Media.

Stace, C. (2019). New Flora of the British Isles ed. 4: 1-1266. C & M Floristics. Stalažs, A. (2024). List of vascular plants of Latvia (with Latvian names): 1-312. Dobele.

VERNACULAR NAME

Arabic: بازلاء شائعة
Bengali: মটর Matar
Burmese: ဆဒေါ့ပဲ Sadaw-pè
Chinese (simplified): 豌豆
Chinese (traditional): 豌豆
Croatian: Vrtni grašak
Czech: Hrách setý
Danish: Almindelig ært
Dutch: Erwt
English: Garden pea, Pea, Common pea, Green pea, Sweet pea
Filipino: Citzaro
Finnish: Satoherne
French: Petit pois, Pois cultivé, Pois rond
German: Erbse
Guangdong: 豌豆
Gujarati: Patana
Hebrew: אפון נמוך - אפון קיפח
Hindi: मटर Matar
Hong Kong: 豌豆
Hungarian: Magas borsó, Vetemény borsó
Indonesia: Kacang kapri, Kapri, kacang ercis, Kacang polong
Italian: Pisello
Japanese: エンドウ
Java: Kacang kapri, Kapri
Kannada: Batgadle, Bahtahna, Holada bataani
Khmer: សាន់ដាយ មូល Sândaèk muul
Korean: 완두
Lithuanian: Sėjamasis žirnis
Macao: 豌豆
Malayalam: Pattani
Malaysia: Kacang ercis
Manipuri: Hawai tharak
Marathi: Vatane
Mizo: Motor-chana
Nepali: केराउ Kerau
Norwegian: Ert
Pashto: مټر
Polish: Groch zwyczajny
Portuguese: Ervilha
Russian: Горох посевной
Sanskrit: Renuka, Satila, Triputa
Santali: ᱢᱚᱴᱚᱨ
Sinhala: ග්රීන් පීස්
Slovak: Hrach siaty
Slovenian: Navadni grah
Spanish: Alverjón de china, Arveja, Chícharo, Guisante
Swedish: Ärt
Taiwan: 豌豆
Tamil: பட்டாணி Pattani
Telugu: Pantanlu, Gundusanighelu
Thai: ถั่วลันเตา
Turkish: Bezelye
Ukrainian: Горох звичайний
United Kingdom: Garden Pea
Urdu: مٹر Matar
Vietnam: Dâu hoà lan

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