Lathyrus oleraceus
Pea
Lathyrus oleraceus, commonly known as a medicinal legume, is a versatile plant valued in traditional healing practices. Rich in bioactive compounds, it offers significant therapeutic potential for treating various ailments. Understanding its phytochemical properties is essential for exploring its role in modern pharmacology and sustainable herbal medicine development.
- Scientific name: Lathyrus oleraceus
- Family: Fabaceae
- Native range: Europe
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Fabales, it is classified under the family Fabaceae and specifically within the genus Lathyrus.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Fabales | WCVP |
| Family | Fabaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Lathyrus | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, Lathyrus oleraceus, is known by various common names depending on the language and region. In Catalan, it is referred to as Pèsol, while in Croatian, it is called Povrtni grašaк. Its names in Chinese are consistent across different scripts and regional standards, being identified as 豌豆 in traditional Chinese (zh), 豌豆 in simplified Chinese (zh-hans), and 豌豆 in mainland Chinese (zh-cn).| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| ca | Pèsol | Wikidata |
| zh | 豌豆 | Wikidata |
| zh-hans | 豌豆 | Wikidata |
| zh-cn | 豌豆 | Wikidata |
| hr | Povrtni grašak | Wikidata |
| zh-tw | 豌豆 | Wikidata |
| en | Pea | Wikidata |
| ca | Pesolera | Wikidata |
| ca | Pesoler | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a broad distribution across several regions of Europe. In Northern Europe, its presence can be found within the borders of Great Britain and Ireland. Moving toward Middle Europe, the species is also documented in Austria and Belgium. Additionally, its range extends through the territories of Czechia and Slovakia. These diverse locations highlight the varied environmental niches the plant occupies throughout the continent.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Europe | Great Britain | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Ireland | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Austria | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Belgium | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Czechia-Slovakia | WCVP |
| Southwestern Europe | Corse | WCVP |
| Southwestern Europe | France | WCVP |
| Southwestern Europe | Portugal | WCVP |
| Southwestern Europe | Sardegna | WCVP |
| Southwestern Europe | Spain | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, Lathyrus oleraceus, possesses several distinct components that contribute to its biological profile and potential medicinal utility. The life cycle of the plant is driven by its seeds, which serve as the primary reproductive unit and contain a concentrated source of nutrients, including a specialized seed storage globulin used to sustain the embryo during germination. Within these seeds, one can extract the seed's oil, a lipid-rich substance often studied for its chemical properties. As the plant grows, the vascular system facilitates the upward movement of xylem sap, transporting essential water and minerals to support the development of the foliage and the tender, edible pea shoots that emerge from the stems.- Total parts
- 9
- Scientific sources
- 11
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| seeds | 3 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| xylem sap | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| seed's oil | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| seed storage globulin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| pea shoots | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| pea seed | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| pea leaf | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| leaves | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Seeds | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Lathyrus oleraceus has 3 reported activities identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antimalarial, Antioxidant, Inhibit Elastase.
- Total activities
- 3
- Scientific sources
- 3
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Antimalarial | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antioxidant | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Inhibit Elastase | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |