Yellow-vetch - Vicia lutea

Alternative names
Yellow Vetch
Description

A low prostrate tufted plant, often densely hairy though not always so. Tendrils branched or unbranched. Leaflets 3 to 10 pairs linear to oblong. Flowers pale yellow, even whitish tinged with purple 20 to 35 mm solitary or 2 or 3 together. Seed pod usually hairy.

Identification difficulty
ID checklist (your specimen should have all of these features)

Annual plant.  Calyx-teeth unequal, with the lower ones longer than upper, and longer than the tube.

Recording advice

Records need to be confirmed by the County Recorder, from a specimen or series of photos showing key characteristics

Habitat

Rough grassy habitats near or along the coast, stabilised shingle, sand dunes, cliff tops etc.

When to see it

June to September.

Life History

Perennial.

UK Status

Quite rare nationally, most records coming from the south coast of England.

VC55 Status

Rare in our area - a record from 1980 was the only one from our area prior to 17th July 2008. Not recorded in the 1979 Flora survey of Leicestershire.

Leicestershire & Rutland Map

MAP KEY:

Yellow squares = NBN records (all known data)
Coloured circles = NatureSpot records: 2020+ | 2015-2019 | pre-2015

UK Map

Species profile

Common names
Yellow-vetch
Species group:
Wildflowers
Kingdom:
Plantae
Order:
Fabales
Family:
Fabaceae
Records on NatureSpot:
3
First record:
17/07/2008 (Calow, Graham)
Last record:
04/06/2023 (Timms, Sue)

Total records by month

% of records within its species group

10km squares with records

The latest images and records displayed below include those awaiting verification checks so we cannot guarantee that every identification is correct. Once accepted, the record displays a green tick.

In the Latest Records section, click on the header to sort A-Z, and again to sort Z-A. Use the header boxes to filter the list.

Latest images

Latest records