Vetch

Vetch, climbing or trailing vine (genus Vicia) of the pea family. At the tip of each leaf stem is a pair of slender tendrils that curl around other plants. They have attractive flowers like those of peas, and their seeds are carried in pods. There are several native vetches in North America, but the most common ones are of European origin. In Europe they are grown as crops for hay or pasture or to hold the soil on embankments.