The Meadow Pea

A plant typical of fresh meadows and field margins, recognizable by its yellow flowers arranged in small racemes and its leaves with two leaflets ending in a climbing tendril. Although nutritious, grazing livestock tend to avoid it, probably due to its slightly bitter taste; when dried, however, it becomes a fair-quality hay. In some local traditions, it was considered an “indicator species” of low-fertilization meadows and good ecological quality, appearing more frequently in extensively managed environments.