Distribution: Occurring west of the Cascades crest in the coastal counties and east in the Columbia River Gorge in Washington; along the coast from Alaska to California, inland to the Willamette Valley in Oregon.
Habitat: Beach margins and headlands, forest openings, and along streams near the coast.
Flowers: May-July
Origin: Native
Growth Duration: Perennial
Conservation Status: Not of concern
Pollination: Bumblebees, bees, butterflies, flies
Succulent, climbing, pubescent to glabrous perennial, the stems 1-2 m. tall, hollow, conspicuously ridged, 3-7 mm. thick.
Leaves pinnate, 10-20 cm. long, tendrils very well-developed; leaflets 19-29, lanceolate to oblong, 2.5-4 cm. long, less than twice the length of the stipules.
Inflorescence of 7- to 20-flowered racemes, on axillary peduncles that may be much longer than the raceme; flowers pea-like, 14-18 mm. long, creamy-yellow to orange, often purplish-tinged; calyx half the length of the corolla, the upper 2 teeth under 1 mm. long, the lower 1 equal to the tube; style densely bearded at the tip.
Pod 3-4 cm. long and 1-1.5 cm. broad, nearly black when dry.
Publication: Bot. Beechey Voy. 20. 1830.
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var. gigantea – giant vetch
Occurring west of the Cascades crest in the coastal counties in Washington; along the coast from Alaska to California, inland to the Willamette Valley in Oregon.
PNW Herbaria: Specimen records of Vicia nigricans in the Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria database.
WA Flora Checklist: Vicia nigricans checklist entry.
OregonFlora: Vicia nigricans information.
E-Flora BC: Vicia nigricans atlas page.
CalPhotos: Vicia nigricans photos.
USDA Plants: Vicia nigricans information.
