Vicia spp.

Vicia spp. is toxic to horses. The reported severity is critical. Also known as Vetches, Tufted Vetch and Common Vetch.

horses

Mild Moderate Severe Critical

This plant is known to be potentially deadly!

  • If you're comfortable with the risk, ensure this plant is out of reach of your animal.
  • If you suspect your animal has ingested portions of this plant, immediately consult your veterinarian.
  • If your animal is experiencing any of the associated symptoms, immediately contact your veterinarian's emergency number for further instructions.

If your animal ate this plant, call your veterinarian, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control on (888) 426-4435 or the Pet Poison Helpline on (855) 764-7661. Fees may apply.

Symptoms to watch for

Diarrhea Loss Of Appetite Seizures Death Dermatitis

The color of each symptom follows the severity scale above.

About

Vicia is a genus of over 240 species of flowering plants that are part of the legume family (Fabaceae), and which are commonly known as vetches. Vicia species are native to Eurasia, Africa, and the Americas.

How this plant poisons

The vetches grown as forage are generally toxic to non-ruminants (such as humans), at least if eaten in quantity. Cattle and horses have been poisoned by V. villosa and V. benghalensis, two species that contain canavanine in their seeds. Canavanine, a toxic analogue of the amino acid arginine, has been identified in Hairy Vetch as an appetite suppressant for monogastric animals, while Narbon bean contains the quicker-acting but weaker γ-glutamyl-S-ethenylcysteine. In common vetch, γ-glutamyl-β-cyanoalanine has been found. The active part of this molecule is β-cyanoalanine. It inhibits the conversion of the sulfur amino acid methionine to cysteine. Cystathionine, an intermediary product of this biochemical pathway, is secreted in urine. This process can effectively lead to the depletion of vital protective reserves of the sulfur amino acid cysteine and thereby making Vicia sativa seed a dangerous component in mixture with other toxin sources. The Spanish pulse mix comuña contains common vetch and bitter vetch in addition to vetchling (Lathyrus cicera) seeds; it can be fed in small quantities to ruminants, but its use as a staple food will cause lathyrism even in these animals. Moreover, common vetch as well as broad bean – and probably other species of Vicia too – contain oxidants like convicine, isouramil, divicine and vicine in quantities sufficient to lower glutathione levels in G6PD-deficient persons to cause favism disease. At least broad beans also contain the lectin phytohemagglutinin and are somewhat poisonous if eaten raw. Split common vetch seeds resemble split red lentils (Vicia lens), and has been occasionally mislabelled as such by exporters or importers to be sold for human consumption.

Common Names

  • Vetches
  • Tufted Vetch
  • Common Vetch
  • Hairy Vetch
  • Bush Vetch
  • American Vetch
  • Hairy Tare
  • Slender Vetch
  • Fava Bean
  • Smooth Tare
  • Giant Vetch
  • Wood Vetch
  • Fine-Leaved Vetch
  • Carolina Vetch
  • Two-Leaf Vetch
  • Reddish Tufted Vetch
  • Narrow-Leaved Vetch
  • Large Yellow Vetch
  • Yellow Vetch
  • Spring Vetch
  • Hairy Yellow-Vetch
  • Winter Vetch
  • Fourleaf Vetch
  • Pale-Flowered Vetch
  • Hungarian Vetch

Also recorded as Vetch and lentils.

Facts

Family
Fabaceae
Duration
Annual, Biennial, Perennial
Growth habit
Forb/herb, Vine
In the wild
GB, FR, DE, NL, SE, US + more
Source
Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Elsewhere

Countries with the most wild observations, from GBIF data.