Fabaceae
Silky beach pea
Lathyrus littoralis
- Family
- Fabaceae
- Genus
- Lathyrus
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Common names
By language (1)
- English
- Silky beach pea
Synonyms
- Astrophia littoralis Torr. & A.Gray
- Astrophia littoralis Nutt.
- Orobus littoralis (Nutt.) A.Gray
Flowers
- Flower colour
- purple (USDA PLANTS Database)
Characteristics
- Growth habit
- Forb/herb, Vine
- Lifespan
- Perennial
- In the US and Canada
- Canada: native, Lower 48 states: native
Toxicity: Slight, as listed by the USDA PLANTS Database (2025-05-29). USDA rates how toxic a plant is to people or livestock; it is not a pet-safety rating, so ask a vet or poison line if a pet or child ate it.
Photos

Photo: blmcalifornia, CC BY-SA 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons 
Photo: Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Wikimedia Commons 
Photo: Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Wikimedia Commons 
Photo: Cs california, CC BY 4.0, from Wikimedia Commons 
Photo: Cs california, CC BY 4.0, from Wikimedia Commons
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- Marsh peaLathyrus palustrisFabaceae
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- Beach peaLathyrus japonicusFabaceae
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Sources: classification, synonyms from World Flora Online Plant List (2026-06, CC0 1.0); common names, popularity from Wikidata (2026-10-26, CC0 1.0); common names, US characteristics from USDA PLANTS Database (2025-05-29, CC0 1.0). About our plant data.