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.

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.]

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

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