sweet pea

sweet pea
a climbing plant, Lathyrus odoratus, of the legume family, having sweet-scented flowers.
[1725-35]

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Annual plant (Lathyrus odoratus) of the pea family (see legume), native to Italy and widely cultivated elsewhere for its beautiful, fragrant flowers.

The long (4–6 ft, or 1.2–2 m), vinelike stem climbs by means of tendrils and bears featherlike leaves. White, pink, red, violet, or purple flowers, reminiscent of butterflies in shape, are borne singly or in clusters of two to four. The fruit is a hairy pod about 2 in. (5 cm) long. Hundreds of varieties of sweet pea have been developed. The plant was the subject of important genetics experiments by Reginald Crundall Punnett and William Bateson.

Sweet pea (Lathyrus odoratus)

Sven Samelius

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▪ plant
 (Lathyrus odoratus), annual plant, of the pea family (Fabaceae), native to Italy and widely cultivated in other regions for its beautiful, fragrant flowers. The vinelike stem, which climbs by means of tendrils, is 1.2–1.8 metres (4–6 feet) long. The alternate leaves are pinnately compound (feather-like in form). The flowers, commonly white, pink, red, violet, or purple and up to 5 centimetres (2 inches) across, are borne singly or in clusters of two to four. The fruit is a hairy pod about 5 cm long. Hundreds of varieties of sweet pea have been developed.

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Universalium. 2010.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Sweet pea — Pea Pea, n.; pl. {Peas}or {Pease}. [OE. pese, fr. AS. pisa, or OF. peis, F. pois; both fr. L. pisum; cf. Gr. ?, ?. The final s was misunderstood in English as a plural ending. Cf. {Pease}.] 1. (Bot.) A plant, and its fruit, of the genus {Pisum},… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Sweet pea — Sweet Sweet, a. [Compar. {Sweeter}; superl. {Sweetest}.] [OE. swete, swote, sote, AS. sw[=e]te; akin to OFries. sw[=e]te, OS. sw[=o]ti, D. zoet, G. s[ u]ss, OHG. suozi, Icel. s[ae]tr, s[oe]tr, Sw. s[ o]t, Dan. s[ o]d, Goth. suts, L. suavis, for… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • sweet pea — sweet peas also sweetpea N COUNT A sweet pea is a climbing plant which has delicate, sweet smelling flowers …   English dictionary

  • sweet pea — ► NOUN ▪ a climbing plant of the pea family with colourful fragrant flowers …   English terms dictionary

  • sweet pea — n. a climbing annual plant (Lathyrus odoratus) of the pea family, with butterfly shaped flowers …   English World dictionary

  • sweet pea — [ US ˈ. .] n a climbing plant with sweet smelling flowers in pale colours …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • sweet pea — sweet′ pea n. pln a climbing plant, Lathyrus odoratus, of the legume family, having sweet scented flowers • Etymology: 1725–35 …   From formal English to slang

  • sweet pea — noun count a climbing plant with colorful flowers that have a strong pleasant smell …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • Sweet pea — For other uses, see Sweet Pea (disambiguation). Sweet pea Scientific classification Kingdom: Plantae …   Wikipedia

  • sweet pea — UK / US noun [countable] Word forms sweet pea : singular sweet pea plural sweet peas a climbing plant with colourful flowers that have a strong pleasant smell …   English dictionary

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