Vicia americana var. americana
 
American Vetch

Stamens and Style

Crooked Lake Provincial Park
02-June-06

All the petals have been removed for the purpose of this photo.  Note the oblique end of the stamen tube.  Note also the filiform style with a tuft of hairs at the tip.

bullet

Americana:  Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora (BF) and Flora of The Great Plains (FGP) leading to this variety.  
bullet

plant usually 4-10 dm in length; NOT [stems rarely to 3.5 dm in length]

bullet

plant vining

bullet

leaflets ovate or elliptic; NOT [leaflets narrowly linear] (BF)

bullet

leaflets more than 4 mm wide or over 30 mm long if narrower; NOT [leaflets usually less than 30 mm long and 4 mm or less wide]

bullet

leaflets thin; NOT [leaflets coriaceous or stiff]

bullet

leaflet veins branched; NOT [leaflets with conspicuous non-branched veins]

bullet

tendril with several branches; NOT [tendrils usually non-branched]

bullet

raceme 5- to 9-flowered (n=7); NOT [raceme mostly 3- to 4(5)-flowered] (FGP)

 
bullet

Americana:  Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora (BF) and Flora of Alberta (FOA) leading to this species.  
bullet

plants perennial; NOT annual

bullet

plants glabrous or sparsely appressed pubescent; NOT [plants villous with more or less long-spreading pubescence]

bullet

flowers in a more or less one-sided raceme; NOT [flowers in the upper leaf axils] (BF)

bullet

racemes NOT 1-sided (FOA)

bullet

inflorescence in a loose raceme; NOT in a dense raceme

bullet

flowers many; NOT [flowers 1 or 2 (seldom 4)]

bullet

inflorescence with 2-9 flowers; NOT with 10-40 flowers

 
bullet

Vicia: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora and Flora of Alberta leading to this genus.
bullet

herbs; NOT shrubs

bullet

plants climbing

bullet

terminal leaflet replaced by a tendril; NOT [terminal leaflet normal]

bullet

wings of flower coherent with the keel ; NOT [wings of flower free from the keel]

bullet

style filiform; NOT flattened

bullet

style bearded at the tip ; NOT [style bearded along the inside]

 

bullet

Leguminosae:  Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora leading to this family.  
bullet

herbs; NOT [shrubs or trees]

bullet

plants terrestrial or semi-aquatic; NOT [plants aquatic, leaves submerged or floating]

bullet

plants NOT with colored milky juice

bullet

plants with more than one normal leaf

bullet

some or all leaves alternate; NOT [leaves opposite, whorled, or basal]

bullet

leaves with stipules

bullet

calyx regular

bullet

flowers with two floral rings, and with each petal distinct from the others

bullet

flowers irregular in shape

bullet

corolla pea-like; NOT [corolla with one petal spurred or sac-like]

bullet

stamens usually separate or partly so; NOT [stamens united into a column]

bullet

fruit a legume; NOT [fruit a 3-valved capsule]