Narbon Bean

Vicia narbonensis L.

Synonyms -

Family: - Fabaceae

Names:

Vicia is the Latin name for vetch.

Narbonensis

Narbon Bean is from the species name narbonensis and its Bean like seed.

Other Names:

Summary:

A squat, angular stemmed, annual herb with leaves that have 2-3 pairs of broad leaflets and a terminal, branched tendril. Purple pea type flowers produce pods with large, velvety brown seeds

Description:

Cotyledons:

Two. Remain underground if buried.

First leaves:

Have a heart shaped pair of leaflets and a short residual tendril. Leaflet tip indented, edges smooth, base tapered to squarish, surface shiny and sometimes undulating. Short hairs on the edges. Prominent veins. Stipule broadly oval with a pointed tip.

Leaves:

Branched twining tendril at the tip and 2-3 pairs of leaflets that are usually almost opposite.

Stipules - Broad, toothed.

Petiole - Shorter than leaf. Petiole of leaflets very short or none.

Blade of leaflet- Tip pointed, round pointed or indented. Edges smoothed to shallowly toothed. Base tapered to squarish.

Stem leaves -

Stems:

Angular, sprawling, branched from near the base. Up to 700 mm long

Flower head:

Single or 2-3 flowers in leaf axils.

Flowers:

Purple pea type.

Ovary -

Sepals -

Petals - Purple.

Stamens -

Anthers -

Fruit:

Seeds:

Brown with a dark spot below a white stripe (hilum). Globular, 7 mm diameter. Surface slightly furrowed. Flesh yellow when split.

Roots:

Has nitrogen fixing root nodules.

Key Characters:

Taproot.

Biology:

Life cycle:

Annual. Seeds germinate in autumn to winter.

Physiology:

Has nitrogen fixing root nodules.

Reproduction:

By seed.

Flowering times:

Spring.

Seed Biology and Germination:

Vegetative Propagules:

Hybrids:

Allelopathy:

Population Dynamics and Dispersal:

Spread by seed.

Origin and History:

Distribution:

ACT, NSW, NT, QLD, SA, TAS, VIC, WA.

Habitats:

Climate:

Temperate.

Soil:

Plant Associations:

Significance:

Beneficial:

Fodder, grain.

Detrimental:

Weed of crops.

Toxicity:

Stock may suffer from grain poisoning on dense mature areas especially after rain.

Symptoms:

Treatment:

Legislation:

None.

Management and Control:

Grazing normally provides control.

Plant tall growing species in amenity areas.

Thresholds:

Eradication strategies:

Prevent seed set for 5 years by grazing, mowing, pulling or applying herbicides.

Hand spray with 1 g of chlorsulfuron(700g/kg) plus 25 mL wetting agent in 10 L of water or boom spray with 20 g/ha chlorsulfuron(700g/kg) in autumn to early winter each year. Hand pull survivors in spring before seed set.

For small infestations and in grass dominant areas an annual application of 10 mL Tordon®75-D in 10 L water in early winter gives excellent control of existing plants and has residual activity to control seedlings.

In bushland, 200 g/ha Lontrel®750 or 50 g/ha Logran® applied in early winter provides reasonably selective control. For hand spraying use 25 mL wetting agent plus 4 g Lontrel®750 or 1 g Logran® in 10 L water. Repeat annually for several years.

Plant tall growing perennial species to reduce re-invasion.

Metsulfuron also provides good control but is less residual and less selective. It is relatively tolerant to glyphosate.

Herbicide resistance:

None reported.

Biological Control:

Related plants:

Broad Bean (Vicia faba var. major)

Common Vetch (Vicia sativa ssp. sativa) has leaves are divided like a feather into 3-10 pairs of small narrow leaflets, each 8-30 mm long. It has pink to purple pea flowers, each 10-20 mm long and either single or in few-flowered clusters. The seed pod is narrow, slightly flattened and 30-50 mm long.

Hairy Vetch (Vicia hirsuta) has an elongated inflorescence of several small flowers each only 2-3 mm long and small, 6-9 mm long hairy seed pods.

Horse Bean (Vicia faba var. equina)

Narbon Bean (Vicia narbonensis)

Narrow-leaved Vetch (Vicia sativa ssp. nigra)

Narrowleaf Vetch (Vicia sativa ssp. angustifolia)

Purple Vetch (Vicia benghalensis, Vicia atropurpurea)

Russian Vetch (Vicia villosa ssp.)

Slender Vetch (Vicia tetrasperma)

Spurred Vetch (Vicia monantha)

Tick Bean (Vicia faba var. minor)

Tufted Vetch (Vicia cracca)

Woollypod Vetch (Vicia villosa ssp. dasycarpa)

Vicia disperma

Vicia lathyroides

Plants of similar appearance:

Clover has trifoliate leaves

Medic

Pea has stipules about the same size as the leaflets

Lathyrus has a single pair of leaflets

Lotus

Trigonella

References:

Bodkin, F. (1986). Encyclopaedia Botanica. (Angus and Robertson, Australia).

Everist, S.L. (1974). Poisonous Plants of Australia. (Angus and Robertson, Sydney).

Harden, Gwen J. (1991). Flora of NSW. (Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney). Volume . P. Diagram.

Lamp, C. and Collet, F. (1990). A Field Guide to Weeds in Australia. (Inkata Press, Melbourne).

Moerkerk, M.R. and Barnett, A.G. (1998). More Crop Weeds. R.G. and F.J. Richardson, Melbourne. P98. Diagrams. Photos.

Acknowledgments:

Collated by HerbiGuide. Phone 08 98444064 or www.herbiguide.com.au for more information.