Vicia cracca
Details Top
| Internal ID | UUID643fdf25307b7829704837 |
| Scientific name | Vicia cracca |
| Authority | L. |
| First published in | Sp. Pl.: 735 (1753) |
General Uses Top
Suggest a correction!Common products:
- Hay: used in livestock production; provides high‑protein forage.
- Pasture: used in mixed grass–legume swards for grazing.
- Green manure: incorporated as a nitrogen‑fixing cover crop.
- Seed: harvested for inclusion in animal feed mixes (livestock, poultry, and bird seed).
- Silage: ensiled for ruminant feed as a high‑protein legume forage.
Food and beverages (non-medicinal):
- Vicia cracca seeds and aerial parts are used as feed components in commercial animal rations, contributing protein and fiber to the diet of cattle, sheep, horses, and poultry.
- Bird seed: Vicia cracca seeds are used in avian feed blends.
Industrial and craft applications:
- Scientific model: employed in research on legume–rhizobium symbiosis, nodulation genetics, and genome‑wide studies. It serves as a reference species in comparative legume genomics and in ecological restoration studies.
- Genetic resources: maintained in germplasm banks (e.g., the USDA National Plant Germplasm System) for breeding and functional genomics.
- Cover crop: used in crop rotations to improve soil structure, suppress weeds, and provide organic nitrogen inputs.
Properties relevant to use:
- High seed protein (≈30 % of dry matter) with a balanced amino‑acid profile, making it a valuable protein source in feed, particularly for monogastric animals and ruminants.
- Strong biological nitrogen‑fixation capacity (symbiotic nodulation with Rhizobium), supplying biologically fixed nitrogen to the soil and reducing reliance on synthetic N fertilizers.
- Forage yields of several tonnes per hectare have been reported in temperate climates, with good palatability and digestibility for ruminants.
Sustainability and sourcing:
- Cultivated widely in temperate Europe, North America, and parts of Asia as a self‑seeding perennial legume.
- As a nitrogen‑fixer, it improves soil organic matter and reduces greenhouse‑gas emissions associated with synthetic fertilizer production.
- Multiple harvests per year provide a renewable forage source, supporting integrated crop‑livestock systems.
- Seed production is relatively low‑input, requiring minimal pesticide applications compared with many annual forages.
- Erosion control: deep‑rooted growth stabilises slopes and reduces soil loss on marginal lands.
Synonyms Top
| Scientific name | Authority | First published in |
|---|---|---|
| Vicia tenuifolia subsp. stenophylla | Velen. | Fl. Bulg.: 163 (1891) |
| Vicia cracca var. canescens | (Maxim.) Franch. & Sav. | Enum. Pl. Jap.1: 104 (1873) |
| Vicia cracca var. japonica | Miq. | |
| Vicia oiana | Honda | Bot. Mag. (Tokyo)44: 410 (1930) |
| Cracca major | Gren. & Godr. | Bonplandia 9: 125. 1861 |
| Vicia heteropus | Freyn | Oesterr. Bot. Z.39: 438 (1889) |
| Vicia macrophylla | (Maxim.) B.Fedtsch. | V.L.Komarov (ed.), Fl. URSS13: 437 (1948) |
| Vicia oreophila | Zertova | Novit. Bot. Delect. Seminum Horti Bot. Univ. Carol. Prag.1962: 51 (1962) |
| Vicia cracca subsp. cracca | L. | |
| Vicia cracca subsp. gerardi | Gaudin | Fl. Helv.4: 506 (1829) |
| Vicia versicolor | Salisb. | Prodr. Stirp. Chap. Allerton: 339 (1796) |
| Vicia hetoropus | Freyn | Oesterr. Bot. Z. 39: 438 (1889) |
| Vicia grenieri | Rouy | G.Rouy & J.Foucaud, Fl. France5: 235 (1899) |
| Vicia douglassii | Torr. | Amer. J. Sci. Arts4: 66 (1822) |
| Vicia australis | Ten. | Fl. Napol.5: 112 (1836) |
| Vicia scheuzeri | Brügger | Jahresber. Naturf. Ges. Graubündens, n.s., 31(Beil.): 45 (1887-1888 publ. 1888) |
| Vicia pontica | Willd. | Sp. Pl., ed. 4, 3: 1094 (1802) |
| Cracca plumosa | Timb.-Lagr. | Bull. Soc. Sci. Phys. Nat. Toulouse3: 143 (1875) |
| Cracca vulgaris | Opiz | Seznam: 34 (1852) |
| Ervum cracca | (L.) Trautv. | Trudy Imp. S.-Peterburgsk. Bot. Sada3(1): 49 (1874) |
| Vicia hiteropus | Freyn | Oesterr. Bot. Z. 39: 438 1889 |
| Vicia cracca f. canescens | Maxim. | Mém. Acad. Imp. Sci. St.-Pétersbourg Divers Savans9: 82 (1859) |
| Vicia cracca var. gerardi | (Gaudin) W.D.J.Koch | Syn. Fl. Germ. Helv.1: 194 (1835) |
| Vicia tenuifolia f. laxiflora | (Griseb.) Diklic | Fl. SR Srbije4: 335 (1972) |
| Vicia cracca f. etiamalba | B.Boivin | Naturaliste Canad.87: 49 (1960) |
| Vicia cracca f. pulchra | Druce | Rep. Bot. Soc. Exch. Club Brit. Isles6: 484 (1922) |
| Vicia cracca subsp. kitaibeliana | (Rchb.) Soó | Acta Bot. Acad. Sci. Hung.23: 380 (1977 publ. 1978) |
| Vicia cracca subsp. oreophila | (Chrtková) Á.Löve & D.Löve | Preslia46: 132 (1974) |
| Vicia cracca var. pulchra | (Druce) P.D.Sell | Fl. Great Britain Ireland3: 517 (2009) |
| Vicia kitaibeliana | Rchb. | Fl. Germ. Excurs.2: 768 (1832) |
| Vicia cracca f. leucantha | Nakai | Bot. Mag. (Tokyo)25: 55 (1911) |
| Vicia cracca f. macrophylla | Maxim. | Mém. Acad. Imp. Sci. St.-Pétersbourg Divers Savans9: 82 (1859) |
| Vicia cracca f. pallidiflora | Maxim. | Mém. Acad. Imp. Sci. St.-Pétersbourg Divers Savans9: 82 (1859) |
| Vicia cracca subsp. galloprovincinalis | Asch. & Graebn. | Syn. Mitteleur. Fl.6(2): 932 (1909) |
| Vicia cracca subsp. imbricata | Rouy | G.Rouy & J.Foucaud, Fl. France5: 233 (1899) |
| Vicia cracca subsp. vulgaris | Schinz & R.Keller | Fl. Schweiz, ed. 3, 1: 329 (1909) |
| Vicia cracca var. alpina | Rouy | G.Rouy & J.Foucaud, Fl. France5: 233 (1899) |
| Vicia cracca var. leucantha | (Nakai) Nakai | Bull. Natl. Sci. Mus. Tokyo31: 65 (1952) |
| Vicia cracca var. linearis | Peterm. | Fl. Lips. Excurs.: 548 (1838) |
| Vicia cracca var. nana | Gaudin | Fl. Helv.4: 505 (1829) |
| Vicia cracca var. peudocassubica | Klett & Richt. | Fl. Leipzig: 599 (1830) |
| Vicia cracca var. plumosa | (Timb.-Lagr.) Rouy | G.Rouy & J.Foucaud, Fl. France5: 233 (1899) |
| Vicia tenuifolia var. laxiflora | Griseb. | Spic. Fl. Rumel.1: 83 (1843) |
| Vicia cracca f. humilis | Neuman | Bot. Not.1887: 16 (1887) |
| Cracca major | Godr. & Gren. | Fl. France Corse1: 468 (1849) |
| Vicia cracca subsp. stenophylla | (Velen.) P.H.Davis & Plitmann | P.H.Davis (ed.), Fl. Turkey3: 284 (1970) |
| Vicia imbricata | Gilib. | Fl. Lit. Inch. 2: 104 (1782) |
| Vicia kitaibelii | Rchb. ex Nyman | Consp. Fl. Eur. : 206 (1878) |
| Vicia multiflora | Lam. | Fl. Franç. 2: 560 (1779) |
| Cracca pyrenaica | Gren. ex Rouy & Foucaud | Fl. France 5: 235 (1899) |
| Vicia gerardi | A.St.-Hil. | Bull. Soc. Agric. Orleans 1: 281 (1810) |
| Vicia cracca subsp. gerardii | Gaudin | Fl. Helv. 4: 506 (1829) |
| Vicia cracca var. vulgaris | W.D.J.Koch | Syn. Fl. Germ. Helv. : 193 (1836) |
| Vicia tenuifolia var. stenophylla | Boiss. | Fl. Orient. 2: 586 (1872) |
| Vicia stenophylla | Grecescu | Consp. Fl. Roman. : 188 (1898) |
| Vicia azurea | Schur | Verh. Naturf. Vereins Brünn 15(2): 191 (1877) |
| Vicia incana | Thuill. | Fl. Env. Paris , ed. 2: 367 (1799) |
| Vicia cracca var. latifolia | Coss. & Germ. ex Corb. | Nouv. Fl. Normandie : 180 (1894) |
| Vicia cracca var. kitaibeliana | (Rchb.) Corb. | Nouv. Fl. Normandie : 180 (1894) |
Common names Top
Add a new one! Suggest a correction!| Language | Common/alternative name |
|---|---|
| English | bird vetch |
| English | blue vetch |
| English | boreal vetch |
| English | cow vetch |
| English | tufted vetch |
| Spanish | alverja silvestre |
| Spanish | alverja |
| Spanish | arveja |
| Spanish | alberjacas |
| Spanish | algarrobilla de monte |
| Spanish | alvejón |
| Spanish | alverjana |
| Spanish | alverjón |
| Spanish | arbeja de caballo |
| Spanish | arveja silvestre |
| Spanish | arverjas |
| Spanish | becilla |
| Spanish | haba-cracca |
| Spanish | mata soberbia |
| Spanish | verza |
| Spanish | vesa |
| Spanish | veza |
| Spanish | zapatetas locas |
| Spanish | vicia oiana |
| Spanish | vicia heteropus |
| Spanish | vicia macrophylla |
| Spanish | cracca major |
| Spanish | vicia oreophila |
| Arabic | بيقية معنقدة |
| Arabic | دندران |
| Arabic | افاقى |
| Belarusian | Гарох мышыны |
| Belarusian | Мышачы гарох |
| Belarusian | Гарошак мышыны |
| Bulgarian | птича глушина |
| Catalan | garlanda comuna |
| Czech | vikev ptačí |
| Welsh | ffacbysen y berth |
| Danish | musevikke |
| German | gewöhnliche vogel-wicke |
| German | vogel-wicke |
| German | vogelwicke |
| Esperanto | birda vicio |
| Esperanto | vicio birda |
| Estonian | harilik hiirehernes |
| Persian | ماشک کلاغی |
| Finnish | hiirenherne |
| Finnish | hiirenvirna |
| French | vesce à épis |
| French | vesce cracca |
| French | vesce craque |
| frp | pesèt |
| frp | pesèta |
| frp | pês-de-bots |
| frr | blä kaatstört |
| Irish | peasair na luch |
| Upper Sorbian | dźiwja woka |
| Upper Sorbian | ptača woka |
| Upper Sorbian | sočk |
| Upper Sorbian | wočka |
| Hungarian | kaszanyűg-bükköny |
| Armenian | Արտին |
| Icelandic | umfeðmingur |
| Japanese | クサフジ |
| Cornish | gwegbys tosek |
| Lithuanian | mėlynžiedis vikis |
| Latvian | vanagu vīķis |
| Macedonian | птичја глушина |
| Macedonian | птичји граор |
| mrj | Каля пырса |
| Norwegian Bokmål | fuglevikke |
| Dutch | vogelwikke |
| Norwegian Nynorsk | fuglevikke |
| olo | hiirenherneh |
| os | Хъæддаг хъæдур |
| Polish | wyka ptasia |
| Russian | Горошек мышиный |
| Russian | Вязель |
| Russian | Вика мышиная |
| Russian | Горох гусиный |
| Russian | Горошек гадючий |
| Russian | Горошек крупнолистный |
| se | fierbmerássi |
| se | sáhpal |
| Slovak | vika vtáčia |
| Slovenian | ptičja grašica |
| Swedish | kråkvicker |
| tt | Тычкан борчагы |
| udm | Шыркӧжы |
| Ukrainian | Горошок мишачий |
| vep | hirenherneh |
| Vietnamese | liên đậu |
| Chinese | 阿尔泰野豌豆 |
| Chinese | 多花野碗豆 |
| Chinese | 广布野豌豆 |
| Chinese | 落豆秧 |
| Chinese | 西藏凹乳芹根 |
| Chinese | 阿爾泰野豌豆 |
| Chinese | 草藤 |
| Chinese | 光叶苕子 |
| Chinese | 蓝花苕子 |
| Chinese | 多花野豌豆 |
Germination/Propagation Top
Suggest a correction or add new data!| Sow seeds at 20°C, expecting germination within 3 months without further temperature treatment. |
| Requires Soaking: These seeds need to be soaked in warm water until they swell, which can take 24-48 hours. Seeds that float are usually not viable and should be discarded, along with the soaking water. |
Distribution (via POWO/KEW) Top
No distribution data was extracted from POWO/KEW yet. We are constantly monitoring for new data.
Links to other databases Top
Suggest others/fix!| Database | ID/link to page |
|---|---|
| World Flora Online | wfo-0000214046 |
| Canadensys | 5943 |
| USDA Plants | VICR |
| Tropicos | 13034716 |
| INPN | 129147 |
| Flora of Italy | 2420 |
| KEW | urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:30263827-2 |
| The Plant List | ild-9103 |
| Plantarium | 40401 |
| Open Tree Of Life | 539541 |
| Observations.org | 7634 |
| NCBI Taxonomy | 3905 |
| NBN Atlas | NBNSYS0000003283 |
| Nature Serve | 2.143230 |
| IPNI | 73031-3 |
| iNaturalist | 52471 |
| GBIF | 2975287 |
| Freebase | /m/03h8x7 |
| WisFlora | 5379 |
| EPPO | VICCR |
| EOL | 704171 |
| Elurikkus | 8176 |
| Calflora (Californian flora) | 8262 |
| USDA GRIN | 300659 |
| Wikipedia | Vicia_cracca |
| Tropicos | 13075217 |
| The Plant List | tro-13075217 |
| NBN Atlas | NBNSYS0200003801 |
| GBIF | 2975296 |
Genomes (via NCBI) Top
No reference genome is available on NCBI yet. We are constantly monitoring for new data.
Scientific Literature Top
Below are displayed the latest 15 articles published in PMC (PubMed Central®) and other sources (DOI number only)!
If you wish to see all the related articles click here.
If you wish to see all the related articles click here.
Phytochemical Profile Top
Add a new one!
Below are displayed the proven (via scientific papers) natural compounds!
You can also contribute to this by clicking here.
You can also contribute to this by clicking here.
| Name | PubChem ID | Canonical SMILES | MW | Found in | Proof |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| > Benzenoids / Benzene and substituted derivatives / Styrenes | |||||
| 2-Methoxy-6-(2-phenylethenyl)pyran-4-one | 85272275 | Click to see | 228.24 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(96)00772-8 |
| 2-methoxy-6-[(E)-2-phenylethenyl]pyran-4-one | 10799349 | Click to see | 228.24 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(96)00772-8 |
| > Benzenoids / Phenol ethers / Anisoles | |||||
| 2-methoxy-6-[(E)-2-(4-methoxyphenyl)ethenyl]pyran-4-one | 10587288 | Click to see | 258.27 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(96)00772-8 |
| 2-Methoxy-6-[2-(4-methoxyphenyl)ethenyl]pyran-4-one | 85196120 | Click to see | 258.27 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(96)00772-8 |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavones / Flavonols | |||||
| Kaempferol | 5280863 | Click to see | 286.24 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00598367 |
Collections Top
| In private collections | 0 |
| In public collections | 0 |