Data provided by the participants of the Consortium of California Herbaria

View additional distribution information on the Jepson eflora

Lathyrus sulphureus is a species of wild pea known by the common names snub pea and sulphur pea. It is native to the mountains of northern California and Oregon, where it grows in forest and woodland. Lathyrus sulphureus is a hairless perennial herb with leaves made up of many oval-shaped leaflets each up to 4 centimeters long. The leaves are tipped with branching, coiled tendrils and the large stipules may be over 2 centimeters long. The plant produces a dense inflorescence of up to 15 pea flowers which are often arranged in a line down one side of the stem. The flowers are light yellow to deep orange and darken as they age. They are wide and have deeply folded faces. The fruit is a hairless dehiscent legume pod.

Plant type

Perennial herb

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Color

Yellow

Sun

Full Sun, Partial Shade

Plant communities

Foothill Woodland, Red Fir Forest, Yellow Pine Forest

Caterpillars
Butterflies

Butterflies and moths supported

1 confirmed and 22 likely

Confirmed Likely

Chionodes braunella

Cerulean Looper Moth

Caenurgina caerulea

Tobacco Budworm Moth

Chloridea virescens

Soybean Looper Moth

Chrysodeixis includens