Sweet pea flower

Another shot of Sweet pea, originally uploaded by ner_luv.

Sweet pea (Lathyrus odoratus), an annual climbing plant, growing to a height of 1-2 meter, is a flowering plant belonging to the genus Lathyrus in the family Fabaceae (legumes). It is originally native to the eastern Mediterranean region from Sicily east to Crete. The leaves are pinnate with two leaflets and a terminal tendril which twines around supporting plants and structures helping the sweet pea to climb. The flowers are generally purple, 2 cm to 3.5 cm broad in the wild plant and larger and very variable in colour in the many cultivated plants. They are often grown by gardeners for their bright colours and the sweet fragrance that gives the name ‘sweet pea’. Watch this variety from the Indian state of Meghalaya.