# slender vetch

*Vicia ludoviciana*

Its seed pods act like tiny catapults; when dry, they twist open explosively to fling seeds away from the parent plant.

- **Taxonomy:** Plantae › Tracheophyta › Magnoliopsida › Fabales › Fabaceae › Vicia
- **IUCN Red List status:** Least Concern
- **Population trend:** stable
- **Biome:** grassland
- **Habitat:** Prairies, open pastures, grassy roadsides, and open woodlands.
- **Diet:** Autotrophic (Photosynthesis, obtains nitrogen via root nodules).
- **Range:** United States, Mexico
- **Size:** Climbing stems up to 1 meter (3.3 feet) in length.
- **Lifespan:** 1 year (Annual)
- **Active:** diurnal
- **Threats:** Mowing before seed set, heavy herbicide application, and urban sprawl.
- **Safe to approach?:** Harmless. This delicate wildflower is safe to touch and admire. To protect local ecosystems, avoid trampling the vines and do not forage unless permitted. If skin irritation occurs due to pollen, wash with soap and water.

## About

Vicia ludoviciana , also known by its common name slender vetch is a species from the genus Vicia .

## Sources

- Plate: https://gaia-dex.com/species/29a44425-8bb5-4cf8-9375-3c4874fe806b
- iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/57312
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vicia ludoviciana
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List category, as recorded by Gaia-Dex
- Photo: https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/14419260/medium.jpg (Alex Abair, CC-BY, via iNaturalist)

Habitat, diet, size and similar notes are AI-written summaries; check them against the linked sources before relying on them.