In message , Jeff Layman
writes
On 03/07/2012 02:23, Sheila wrote:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/6373089...in/photostream


Might be a Tufted Vetch. Might be another type of vetch. They are
difficult to tell apart even with a good photo. I would have expected
to see tendrils at the ends of the leaves, but can't see any even when
enlarging the photo. Strange.

With practice the commoner vetches are fairly easy to tell apart. Tufted
vetch has a dense inflorescence of indigo flowers borne on a long stalk.
Bush vetch has a gappy inflorescence of magenta flowers without the
stalk. Common vetch has pairs of scarlet flowers in the leaf nodes.
Hairy tare and smooth tare have small white, blueish or purpleish
flowers - the easiest way to tell them apart is to count the seeds in
the pods - hairy tare has 2 seeds per pod, and smooth tare 4 seeds per
pod.

This however appears not to be a vetch - the leaves are imparipinnate,
rather than paripinnate. (The other genus with paripinnate leaves is
Lathyrus - the peas and vetchlings.)

The inflorescence of sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia) is more like that
of a lupin. I'm going to plump for goat's rue (Galega officinalis).
(Both plants are rare in my neck of the woods - I've found sainfoin at 3
sites, and never found goat's rue in the wild.)

Could you give us an idea of where you saw it, and also the exact size
of a flower and leaf?


--
Stewart Robert Hinsley