rhachis

Spikelets 1-flowered, with a mere naked short-pedicelled rudiment of a second flower, imbricate-spiked on one side of a flattish rhachis; the spikes usually digitate at the naked summit of the flowering culms.

Spikelets small, acuminate, 1-flowered, appressed-sessile and scattered along one side of the slender rhachis of the distant sessile and divaricately spreading spikes.

Spikes solitary, racemed or spiked; the rhachis somewhat extended beyond the spikelets.

Spikelets 2–6-flowered, with a terminal imperfect flower or naked rudiment, closely imbricate-spiked on one side of a flattish rhachis; the spikes digitate.

Otherwise nearly as in Vicia.—Our species are perennial and mostly smooth plants, the rhachis of the leaves in some not produced into a tendril.