New locality of Vicia lathyroides (Fabaceae) in the Góry Świętokrzyskie Mts (Wyżyna Małopolska upland)

Vicia lathyroides L. (spring vetch) is an annual plant with a weak, sprawling stem 5–25 cm long. It grows in dry, sandy habitats, such as dry grasslands on sands, fallow land and sandy roadsides. The species is characteristic of the Vicio-lathyroidis-Potentillion argenteae association?/ alliance.

In the region, it is considered endangered (EN), while globally it is listed as least concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . In the Wyżyna Małopolska upland, it has so far been reported from only a few localities: the Przedgórze Iłżeckie foothills, the Wzgórza Opoczyńskie hills and the south-western part of the Góry Świętokrzyskie Mts. A new locality of the species was found on the campus of Jan Kochanowski University in Kielce (EE74c12, ATPOL grid square with a side length of 2.5 km).

Vicia lathyroides grew in several places within fragments of sandy grasslands. The population consisted of about 50 generative individuals. In a few individuals, the first pods had already developed, although they were not yet fully mature.

The floristic composition of the phytocoenosis is presented in the example phytosociological relevé.