Category:Vetch

Vetch, n. Etym: [also fitch; oe. ficche, feche, for veche, of. veche, Vecce, vesche, vesce, f. vesce, fr. L. vicia.] (bot.)

Defn: any leguminous plant of the genus vicia, some species of which are valuable for fodder. The common species is v. sativa.

Note: the name is also applied to many other leguminous plants of different genera; as the chichling vetch, of the genus lathyrus; the horse vetch, of the genus hippocrepis; the kidney vetch (anthyllis vulneraria); the milk vetch, of the genus astragalus; the licorice vetch, or wild licorice (abrus precatorius).