Lathyrus magellanicus
Lathyrus magellanicus
Safety & Hazards
Although no specific records of toxicity have been found for this species, the seed and other parts of many Lathyrus species contain a toxic amino acid. It is produced in the plant at about the same time that the seed starts to develop. In small quantities the amino acid is innocuous, and the seeds of several Lathyrus species are eaten as a nutritious part of the diet. However, in larger quantities (the seed should form less than 30% of a balanced diet), it can cause a very serious disease of the nervous system known as 'lathyrism'. Symptoms appear as a paralysis of the muscles below the knees, pains in the back, followed by weakness and stiffness of the legs and progressive locomotive incoordination[ 65 Title A Colour Atlas of Poisonous Plants. Publication Author Frohne. D. and Pfänder. J. Publisher Wolfe Year 1984 ISBN 0723408394 Description Brilliant. Goes into technical details but in a very readable way. The best work on the subject that I've come across so far. , 76 Title Poisonous Plants in Britain and their Effects on Animals and Man. Publication Author Cooper. M. and Johnson. A. Publisher HMSO Year 1984 ISBN 0112425291 Description Concentrates mainly on the effects of poisonous plants to livestock. , 1309 Title The Leguminosae; A Source Book of Characteristics, Uses and Nodulation Publication Author Allen O.N.; Allen E.K. Publisher University of Wisconsin Year 1981 ISBN 0-333-32221-5 Description An amazing and comprehensive work, giving a brief guide to the many genera of the family Fabaceae and also the principle uses of the genus. ].
Botanical Description
Lathyrus magellanicus is a short-lived, herbaceous perennial, climbing plant, producing annual stems from a longer-lived rootstock; it can grow up to 50cm tall. The stems scramble over the ground and through other plants, supporting themselves by means of tendrils[ 188 Title The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers Publication Author Brickell. C. Publisher Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd. Year 1990 ISBN 0-86318-386-7 Description Excellent range of photographs, some cultivation details but very little information on plant uses. , 219 Title Gardening on Walls Publication Author Grey-Wilson. C. & Matthews. V. Publisher Collins Year 1983 ISBN 0-00-219220-0 Description A nice little book about plants for growing against walls and a small section on plants that can grow in walls. , 330 Title ChileFlora Publication Author Website http://www.chileflora.com/index.html Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Not realy a flora, but a lovely site with lots of helpful information for the gardener and an abundance of excellent photos covering over 2,000 species of Chilean plants. ]. The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food. A very ornamental plant, it is often grown in gardens[ 1 Title RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Publication Author F. Chittendon. Publisher Oxford University Press Year 1951 ISBN - Description Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaced in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [ 200 ]). ].