Galega orientalis

Galega orientalis Lam. (Fabaceae), the Caucasian or fodder galega, is a robust rhizomatous perennial herb of the Caucasus and adjacent eastern European meadows and forest edges, naturalised as a forage crop in parts of northern Europe and reaching 0.8–1.5 m tall. Stems are erect, hollow, glabrous to sparsely hairy, and branched above. Leaves are alternate, imparipinnate, 15–25 cm long, with 9–17 broadly ovate to elliptic, glabrous leaflets 2.5–5 cm long, the terminal one usually slightly larger; stipules are conspicuous and sagittate. Inflorescences are erect, dense, axillary racemes 5–15 cm long bearing 25–60 violet-blue to lavender pea-flowers, each about 10–15 mm long, with a broad standard and a shorter keel; flowering occurs in early to midsummer. Fruits are slender, cylindric, slightly torulose pods 2.5–4 cm long containing several oblong, mottled brown seeds. The species fixes nitrogen and is grown for silage.