Menu
Home
People
Places
Arts
History
Plants & Animals
Science
Life & Culture
Technology
Reference.org
Vicia
open-in-new
<p><i>Vicia</i> is a <a href="/facts/Genus/m8EFjSms">genus</a> of over 240 <a href="/facts/Species/oDg6b96r">species</a> of <a href="/facts/Flowering_plant/E5eGYIvY">flowering plants</a> that are part of the <a href="/facts/Legume/x6s6gVHY">legume</a> <a href="/facts/Family_(biology)/qTrn6E8E">family</a> (<a href="/facts/Fabaceae/uxuHNdAr">Fabaceae</a>), and which are commonly known as vetches. Member species are native to Europe, North America, South America, Asia and Africa. Some other <a href="/facts/Genera/m8EFjSms">genera</a> of their <a href="/facts/Subfamily/2QPtfDS4">subfamily</a> <a href="/facts/Faboideae/4c6ujMjS">Faboideae</a> also have names containing "vetch", for example the vetchlings (<i><a href="/facts/Lathyrus/cF0sNLo5">Lathyrus</a></i>) or the milk-vetches (<i><a href="/facts/Astragalus_(plant)/sxf73Fy6">Astragalus</a></i>). The <a href="/facts/Lentil/GUuCEt0o">lentils</a> are included in genus <i>Vicia</i>, and were formerly classified in genus <i>Lens</i>. The broad bean (<i><a href="/facts/Vicia_faba/KPxa7j4I">Vicia faba</a></i>) is sometimes separated in a <a href="/facts/Monotypic/QvoM9aGP">monotypic</a> genus <i>Faba</i>; although not often used today, it is of historical importance in <a href="/facts/Plant_taxonomy/vr5BKfLQ">plant taxonomy</a> as the namesake of the <a href="/facts/Order_(biology)/GKLJvIpt">order</a> <a href="/facts/Fabales/H0aMr1uL">Fabales</a>, the Fabaceae and the Faboideae. The <a href="/facts/Tribe_(biology)/Uca1DPl7">tribe</a> <a href="/facts/Vicieae/BSm7KpJ9">Vicieae</a> in which the vetches are placed is named after the genus' current name. The true peas (<i><a href="/facts/Pisum/7TwNkKMw">Pisum</a></i>) are among the closest living relatives of vetches. </p>