Cicer

Herbs, annual [perennial], unarmed [armed], glandular- or/and eglandular-pubescent, except corolla. Stems semi-erect or erect to prostrate, straight or flexuous, pubescent, sometimes glandular-pubescent. Leaves alternate, odd-pinnate; stipules present, foliaceous, sometimes larger than proximalmost leaflets, toothed [spiny]; rachis apex with leaflet [tendril or spines]; petiolate; leaflets [3–]6–20[–36], blade margins dentate except at base, surfaces glandular-pubescent. Inflorescences 1(or 2)[–5]-flowered, axillary, racemes; bracts present, persistent; bracteoles absent. Flowers papilionaceous; calyx gibbous at base abaxially [subregular], lobes 5; corolla white to pink, purple, or blue; stamens 10, diadelphous; anthers basifixed; ovary pubescent; style glabrous; stigma relatively small. Fruits legumes, pedicellate, inflated, rhomboid-ellipsoid [ellipsoid to obovoid-rhomboid], late-dehiscent, densely pubescent, mostly glandular-pubescent. Seeds 1 or 2[–4], ovoid-globular or angular [bilobular to globular]. x = 8.

Distribution

Introduced; s Europe (Greece, Turkey), c, s Asia (India), n Africa, Atlantic Islands (Canary Islands), introduced also in Mexico, South America (Argentina, Brazil, Chile).

Discussion

Species 44 (1 in the flora).

Cicer is the only genus in tribe Cicereae. The range of closely related wild Cicer species points to a middle-eastern origin in Syria and Turkey for use of chickpea as a food plant. From there, the cultivated chickpea was distributed to circum-mediterranean areas and to central and southern Asia from Iran to India.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

Cicer arietinum