Vern. Chana.

Annual herb, up to 1 m tall. Stem glandular pubescent. Leaf imparipinnately compound, leaflets 7-17, 7-19 mm long, 4-10 mm broad, mostly elliptic, dentate, acute, mucronulate, glandular pubescent; stipules 2-5-fid. Flowers solitary, peduncle 5-20 mm long, pedicel 5-10 mm long, bracts 2-3 mm long. Calyx 7-9 mm long. Corolla white to purple. Vexillum 10-22 mm long. Fruit c. 2-3.5 cm long, 1-1.5 cm broad, 1-4-seeded, glandular pubescent.

Fl.Per.: February-April.

Lectotype: from southern Europe, Hort. Cliff. (BM).

Distribution: Pakistan, widely cultivated from plains to 9000 ft.; native country uncertain, widely cultivated in the Mediterranean countries and Asia, also introduced in America, Africa and the Orient (Verdcourt l.c.).

The Gram or Chickpea is commonly used as pulse, and in soaked, roasted, fried or powdered form, for preparing innumerable dishes; also used for feeding the horses and other animals.