Coronilla varia

Family: Fabaceae Genus: Coronilla Species: varia

Synonyms: Coronilla varia var. pyrenaica, Coronilla varia f. tenera, Coronilla varia f. stricta, Securigera varia, Coronilla varia f. robusta, Coronilla varia f. pedemontana, Coronilla varia f. pauciflora, Astragalus glaucoides, Coronilla varia var. hirta, Ornithopus varius, Coronilla varia var. orientalis, Coronilla pendula, Coronilla varia f. pallescens, Coronilla varia f. recta, Coronilla petraea, Coronilla varia var. pauciflora, Callistephana varia, Coronilla varia f. multipinnata, Securigera varia subsp. orientalis, Coronilla varia subsp. orientalis, Securigera varia subsp. hirta, Coronilla varia subsp. hirta, Coronilla varia f. macrantha, Coronilla varia f. macrophylla, Coronilla varia f. hypopedunculata, Coronilla varia var. ghilana, Coronilla varia f. herbida, Coronilla varia f. bulgarica, Coronilla pyrenaica, Coronilla multiflora, Coronilla haussknechtii, Coronilla pallescens, Coronilla hirta

Botanical Description

Coronilla varia, the crown vetch (now often placed in Securigera varia), is a sprawling perennial herb of the family Fabaceae with trailing or scrambling stems up to 1.2 m long. The leaves are pinnately compound with numerous small oblong leaflets. The flowers are pea-like and crowded into rounded, long-stalked umbel-like heads, ranging from pink and lavender to white, blooming through summer. The fruits are slender, jointed, four-angled pods that break into one-seeded segments. Native to Europe, southwest Asia and North Africa, crown vetch has been widely planted for erosion control and ground cover and has become invasive in parts of North America, colonising roadsides, banks and disturbed ground. The plant contains nitroglycoside and other toxic compounds and is poisonous, particularly to horses and other non-ruminant livestock.

Native Region: Albania, Belarus, Bulgaria, Central European Rus, Czechoslovakia, East European Russia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iran, Iraq, Italy, Krym, Lebanon-Syria, North Caucasus, Northwest European R, Poland, Romania, South European Russi, Spain, Switzerland, Transcaucasus, Turkey, Turkey-in-Europe, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Yugoslavia

Cultural & Historical Context

Traditional American Uses

None Documented

Chemistry & External Identifiers

Trefle ID

52003

Important Disclaimer

This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using any herbal remedy, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking medications.

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