Astragalus boeticus

Astragalus boeticus, the yellow milk vetch, or Swedish coffee is a species of annual herb in the family Fabaceae. It is native to the Mediterranean and the Middle East.

Description
They have a self-supporting growth form and compound, broad leaves.

They can grow to 0.6 meters (2 feet). The bloom period is between the months of July to August. The plant has both male and female organs. It can fix nitrogen. It is pollinated by Bees, Moths, and Butterflies.

It is most commonly found in March and April. It is most commonly found in the country of Spain, being found more than 500 times there.

Distribution
It can be found in the countries and islands of Albania, Algeria, The Baleares, The Canary Islands, Corsica,  Cyprus, East Aegean Islands, Egypt, France, Greece, Iran, Italy, Kriti, Lebanon-Syria, Libya, Madeira, Morocco, Palestine, Portugal, Sardegna, Sicilia, Sinai, Spain, Tunisia, Turkey, Western Sahara, and ex-Yugoslavia.

Uses
The seed pods are edible. Roasted seeds are used as a substitute of coffee.

It has been used as a coffee substitute, especially during the 1800s, when coffee was scarce. It was even used by the Swedish monarchy. There is evidence that Astragalus boeticus has a lot of genetic diversity, as it is found in most of the Mediterranean and parts of the Middle East. Evidence suggests with limited breeding that it could be a better coffee substitute.