Pea
Family Leguminosae: Papilionaceae (or Fabaceae)
Pisum sativum, the pea (P. sativum 1), is a climbing annual, 30-200 cm high, with compound pinnate leaves and terminal tendrils. The flowers (P. sativum 2) are solitary or borne in small axillary clusters, usually white, but pink and purple flowers do occur. The pods can be swollen or compressed, straight or curved, green or purple (P. sativum 3), up to 15 cm long, containing 2-10 seeds, which are smooth or wrinkled, and green or yellowish in colour.
Distribution
The cultivated pea does not occur wild, but is closely related to Pisum arvense, which grows wild in western Asia. From Asia the pea spread eastwards and westwards. Round about the 5th century it reached Africa. The pea is a typical plant for the temperate regions, but some varieties grow in the tropics.
Use
Fresh green peas are eaten as a vegetable; dried seeds, whole, split or made into meal, are used for human consumption and livestock.
Two main groups can be distinguished:
1. Pisum sativum var. sativum, the garden pea, which is usually grown for its greens peas, which are eaten cooked as a vegetable. They are also canned and frozen. It has white flowers, green pods and green or yellow seeds. This group includes the sugar peas with edible pods that lack the stiff parchment in the pod.
2. Pisum sativum var. arvense, the field pea, which is mainly grown for the dried seeds. The flowers and pods are coloured, usually purple (P. sativum 4).
In western Europe peas are cultivated on a large scale (P. sativum 5) and harvesting is mechanised (P. sativum 6). Frozen and canned they are available the whole year through.
Biggest producers are China, Russia, and India. In Europe Britain, France and Hungary are important producers.