Vicia is agenus of over 240 species offlowering plants that are part of thelegumefamily (Fabaceae), and which are commonly known asvetches.Vicia species are native to Eurasia, Africa, and the Americas.
Some othergenera of theVicia subfamilyFaboideae also have names containing "vetch", for example the vetchlings (Lathyrus) or the milk-vetches (Astragalus). Thelentils are included in genusVicia, and were formerly classified in genusLens.[3] The broad bean (Vicia faba) is sometimes separated in amonotypic genusFaba; although not often used today, it is of historical importance inplant taxonomy as the namesake of theorderFabales, the Fabaceae and the Faboideae. The tribeVicieae in which the vetches are placed is named after the genus's current name. The true peas (Pisum) are among the closest living relatives of vetches.
Vicia means 'binder' inLatin; this was the name used byPliny for vetch.[6]
The vetch is also referenced byHorace in his account of "The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse" aservum.[7] This is said to be a source of comfort for the country mouse after a disturbing insight into urban life. They are mentioned inWilliam Shakespeare'sThe Tempest: "Ceres, most bounteous lady, thy rich leas / Of wheat, rye, barley, vetches, oats and pease;"
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 byV. villosa andV. benghalensis, two species that contain canavanine in their seeds.Canavanine, a toxic analogue of the amino acidarginine, has been identified in Hairy Vetch as anappetite suppressant for monogastric animals, while Narbon bean contains the quicker-acting but weaker γ-glutamyl-S-ethenylcysteine.[8] In common vetch, γ-glutamyl-β-cyanoalanine has been found. The active part of this molecule isβ-cyanoalanine. It inhibits the conversion of thesulfur amino acidmethionine tocysteine.
Cystathionine, an intermediary product of this biochemical pathway, is secreted in urine.[9] This process can effectively lead to the depletion of vital protective reserves of the sulfur amino acid cysteine and thereby makingVicia sativa seed a dangerous component in mixture with other toxin sources. TheSpanish pulse mixcomuña 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 causelathyrism even in these animals. Moreover, common vetch as well as broad bean – and probably other species ofVicia too – containoxidants likeconvicine,isouramil,divicine andvicine in quantities sufficient to lowerglutathione levels inG6PD-deficient persons to causefavism disease. At least broad beans also contain thelectinphytohemagglutinin and are somewhat poisonous if eaten raw. Split common vetch seeds resemble splitred lentils (Vicia lens), and has been occasionally mislabelled as such by exporters or importers to be sold for human consumption. In some countries where lentils are highly popular – e.g.,Bangladesh,Egypt,India andPakistan – import bans on suspect produce have been established to prevent these potentially harmful scams.[8][10]
Bernard of Clairvaux shared a bread-of-vetch meal with his monks during the famine of 1124 to 1126, as an emblem of humility.[Note 1] However, the bitter vetch largely was dropped from human use over time. It was only used to save as a crop of last resort in times of starvation: vetches "featured in the frugal diet of the poor until the eighteenth century, and even reappeared on the black market in the South of France during the Second World War", Maguelonne Toussaint-Samat, of Marseillais background, has remarked.[14] However, broad beans remained prominent. In the Near East the seeds are mentioned inHittite andAncient Egyptian sources dating from more than 3,000 years ago as well as in theChristian Bible,[Note 2] and in the largeCelticOppidum of Manching from theLa Tène culture in Europe some 2,200 years ago. Dishes resemblingful medames are attested in theJerusalem Talmud which was compiled before 400 AD.
Worldwide vetch yieldHungarian vetch (V. pannonica) is often grown forforage.
In our time, the common vetch (V. sativa) has also risen to prominence. Together with broad beancultivars such as horse bean or field bean, theFAO includes it among the 11 most importantpulses in the world. The main usage of the common vetch is asforage forruminant animals, both asfodder andlegume, but there are other uses, as tufted vetchV. cracca is grown as a mid-summerpollen source forhoneybees.
In 2017, global production of vetches was 920,537tonnes.[15] That year, 560,077 acres were devoted to the cultivation of vetches in the world. Over 54% of that output came from Europe alone. Africa (17.8% of world total), Asia (15.6% of world total), Americas (10.6% of world total) and Oceania (1.8% of world total).[14]
^"Their bread like the prophets of old, was made of barley, millet and vetch and was of such miserable quality that once a visiting monk, lamenting sadly their plight, took away with him some of what had been set before him in the guest-house, that he might show to everybody the marvel of men, and such men, living on the like." (Vita Prima I.v.25, quoted in Williams (1952), p. 24.)[13]
^Usually translated simply as "beans"; the green beans (Phaseolus) are native to theAmericas and were unknown in Europe before about 1500 AD.
