Vicia americana var. americana
 
American Vetch

Keel and One Wing, Side A

Crooked Lake Provincial Park
02-June-06

The standard and one wing have been removed for the purpose of this photo.

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Americana:  Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora (BF) and Flora of The Great Plains (FGP) leading to this variety.  
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plant usually 4-10 dm in length; NOT [stems rarely to 3.5 dm in length]

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plant vining

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

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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]

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leaflets thin; NOT [leaflets coriaceous or stiff]

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

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

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

 
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Americana:  Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora (BF) and Flora of Alberta (FOA) leading to this species.  
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plants perennial; NOT annual

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

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

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racemes NOT 1-sided (FOA)

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inflorescence in a loose raceme; NOT in a dense raceme

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

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

 
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Vicia: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora and Flora of Alberta leading to this genus.
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herbs; NOT shrubs

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plants climbing

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

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

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style filiform; NOT flattened

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

 

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Leguminosae:  Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora leading to this family.  
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herbs; NOT [shrubs or trees]

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

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plants NOT with colored milky juice

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plants with more than one normal leaf

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

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leaves with stipules

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calyx regular

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

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flowers irregular in shape

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

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

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