Practical
Plants

Vicia articulata

One-Flower Vetch

an annual member of the Vicia genus in the family Leguminosae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Genus
Vicia
Life cycle
annual
Height
0.6 m
Fertility
Self fertile, Insects
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Insects

Uses

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - cooked[3][1]. They can be used like lentils[2].

Plant part
Seed

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Can be grown as a green manure crop[5][6][7].

Ecology and functions

Green manure

Nitrogen fixer

Environment

Range
S. Europe to W. Asia.
Habitat
Pine woods, rocky limestone slopes, macchie and meadows, 50 - 800 metres in Turkey[8].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Pre-soak the seed for 24 hours in warm water and then sow in situ in the spring. An autumn sowing in situ might also succeed.

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Succeeds in any well-drained soil in a sunny position if the soil is reliably moist throughout the growing season, otherwise it is best grown in semi-shade[4]. This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[4]. When removing plant remains at the end of the growing season, it is best to only remove the aerial parts of the plant, leaving the roots in the ground to decay and release their nitrogen. Cultivated in France for its edible seed[3].

References

  1. Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976-00-00

    ↩

  2. Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169

    ↩

  3. Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20459-6

    ↩1↩2

  4. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2

  5. Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00

    ↩

  6. Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974-00-00 ISBN 0094579202

    ↩

  7. Woodward. L. Burge. P. Green Manures. Elm Farm Research Centre. 1982-00-00

    ↩

  8. Davis. P. H. Flora of Turkey. Edinburgh University Press 1965-00-00

    ↩

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