BITTER VETCH; a genus of the decidua order, belonging to the diadelphia class of plants. There are nine species. All of them have fibrous roots, which are perennial, but are annual in stalk, rising early in spring and decaying in autumn. They are very hardy plants, and prosper in any common soil of a garden. Most of the sorts are very floriferous, and the flowers conspicuous and ornamental for adorning the flower compartments. The flowers are universally of the papilionaceous or butterfly kind, consisting each of four irregular petals, i.e., a standard, two wings, and a keel; and are all succeeded by long taper seed-pods, furnishing plenty of ripe seed in autumn; by which the plants may be propagated abundantly, as also by parting the roots.

The Scots Highlanders have a great esteem for the tubercles of the roots of the tuberosus, or species sometimes called wood-pea. They dry and chew them in general to give a better relish to their liquor; they also affirm that they are good against most disorders of the breast, and that by the use of them they are enabled to resist hunger and thirst for a long time. In Breadalbane and Rossshire, they sometimes bruise and steep them in water, and make an agreeable fermented liquor with them. They have a sweet taste, something like the roots of liquorice; and when boiled, we are told, they are nutritious and well flavoured; and in times of scarcity, they have served as a substitute for bread.