Vicia villosa ssp. villosa

Family: Fabaceae (Pea)

Habitat: disturbed areas and grasslands

Notes: Introduced. Originally introduced in California to augment the nutritional value of cattle grazing lands. At Mather Field this vetch commonly occurs along Eagles Nest Road and has colonized mima mounds near the road. Vetches fix atmospheric nitrogen and store it in their roots. This enriches the soil which, in turn, can make it more hospitable to other weedy species.