beach pea

beach pea

n.

Any of certain perennial herbs of the genus Lathyrus in the pea family, especially L. japonicus, native to shores of temperate regions in the Northern Hemisphere, having pinnately compound leaves and purplish flowers.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

beach′ pea`

n.

either of two seashore plants of the legume family, Lathyrus japonicus of N temperate regions or L. littoralis of the W coast of North America, both having oblong leaves and clusters of pealike flowers.

[1795–1805, Amer.]

Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

beach pea - wild pea of seashores of north temperate zone having tough roots and purple flowers and useful as a sand binder Lathyrus japonicus, Lathyrus maritimus, sea pea genus Lathyrus, Lathyrus - genus of climbing herbs of Old World and temperate North and South America: vetchling; wild pea wild pea - any of various plants of the family Leguminosae that usually grow like vines

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