Vicia lutea can be very hairy but not necessarily, can have hairy fruits but the hairs soon fall off and has leaves with up to ten pairs of leaflets ending in a branched tendril. The one thing it doesn't have very obviously is yellow flowers in spite of some texts saying this is a distinguishing feature. The buds tend to be yellowish and the flowers very pale yellow to whitish with purple streaks or veins sometimes apparent.

Although the distribution is often described as maritime or coastal this plant has been recorded from all over England but very scattered and with no obvious places with plentiful sites. It is found in southern Scotland and in wales more along the coast but there are few sites in Ireland.

Friston Forest, Sussex 8th July 2007

Added on January 1st 2009, updated 22nd February 2012