veiny pea

Lathyrus venosus is a perennial vine with herbaceous stems, growing from a creeping rhizome. The stems are climbing or sprawling and measure about 0.9–1.2 metres (3–4 feet) in length. The leaves are alternate and even-pinnate with usually 8–12 leaflets, ending in a branched tendril. Each leaflet is roughly oval in shape, is untoothed, and lacks hair. The papilionaceous flowers grow from the leaf axils in clusters of 8–15. They are arranged in a raceme and are generally pink, purple, or blue. The fruit is a hairless seedpod.

Lathyrus venosus grows naturally in most of southeastern continental Canada and the eastern continental United States. It generally grows in pine and prairie woodlands, along streams, on rocky slopes and roadsides, and in sandy ground.