Common name:
Smooth tare
Family:
Scientific name:
Vicia tetrasperma
Main flower color:
Range:
England and Wales
Height:
Up to 50 cm
Habitat:
Grassland and hedgerows, on rich soils
Flowers:
Small, around 6 mm long, solitary or in pairs, on long, sparsely hairy stalks. Petals are pale to dark lilac, crossed by darker veins. The calyx teeth are unequal in length
Fruit:
Hairless, light green pods, containing four seeds
Leaves:
Pinnate, with two to six pairs of narrow, ovate leaflets, up to 20 mm long; topped by an unbranched tendril
Season:
May to August
Rarity:
★★★★★
