Pisum
Genus of legumes
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Pisum is a possible genus of flowering plants in the family Fabaceae, native to southwest Asia and northeast Africa. As of April 2026[update], Plants of the World Online considered the genus to be a synonym of Lathyrus,[1] while the International Legume Database Information Service (ILDIS) accepted three species:[2]
- Pisum abyssinicum (syn. P. sativum subsp. abyssinicum) = Lathyrus oleraceus[3]
- Pisum fulvum = Lathyrus fulvus[4]
- Pisum sativum = Lathyrus oleraceus[3] – the field or garden pea, a major human food crop
Taxonomy
The genus Pisum was erected by Carl Linnaeus in 1753.[1] Pisum is the ancient Latin name for the pea.[5] Molecular phylogenetic studies suggested that Pisum was not distinct from Lathyrus, and sank it into that genus.[6] Others have disputed the justification and hence the necessity for this change.[7]