Leaves imparipinnate, usually ± sessile; terminal leaflet modified to a tendril, sometimes branched; stipules occasionally toothed; stipels absent.
Inflorescences of axillary racemes or flowers solitary or few in axils; bracts small caducous; bracteoles absent. Calyx 5-toothed, teeth ± equal to tube. Standard and wings obovate or oblong; keel obtuse. Stamens diadelphous; anthers uniform. Ovary with several ovules; style terete or compressed, with at least a few hairs; stigma terminal.
Many species are cultivated for food and as fodder crops; some have become naturalized, especially in grassland and sclerophyll forest.
| | Key to the species | |
| 1 | Tendrils absent; leaf rachis terminating in a spur to 10 mm long. | Vicia faba |
| At least upper leaves terminating in tendrils. | 2 |
| 2 | Flowers 1–4 in axils of leaves, subsessile or peduncles shorter than the flowers; stipules mostly with a prominent central gland. | Vicia sativa |
| Flowers 1-many on peduncles longer than the flowers; stipules without glands.
Back to 1 | 3 |
| 3 | Corolla 10–25 mm long; pods 2–5 cm long with 2–8 seeds; stipules 3–6 mm long. | 4 |
| Corolla 2–8 mm long; pods 0.8–1.2 cm long with 2–5 seeds; stipules 1–4 mm long.
Back to 2 | 5 |
| 4 | Racemes 1–5-flowered, mostly shorter than the leaves; calyx base only slightly swollen; lower stipules 2-lobed, the lobes entire. | Vicia monantha |
| Racemes 3–40-flowered, usually longer than the leaves; calyx base distinctly swollen; lower stipules not lobed, finely toothed.
Back to 3 | Vicia villosa |
| 5 | Leaves with 3–5 pairs of leaflets; flowers 5–8 mm long; pods with 3–5 seeds. | Vicia tetrasperma |
| Leaves with 4–10 pairs of leaflets; flowers 2–5 mm long; pods with 1 or 2 seeds;
Back to 3 | 6 |
| 6 | Leaflets linear or ± lanceolate 5–25 mm long, 1–3 mm wide; calyx teeth equal; pods 8–11 mm long, 2–4 mm wide, pubescent. | Vicia hirsuta |
| Leaflets linear to elliptic, mostly 8–15 mm long, 1–5 mm wide; calyx teeth unequal; pods 12–20 mm long, 5–8 mm wide, glabrous.
Back to 5 | Vicia disperma |
