Family: Fabaceae
Lotus subbiflorus
Citation:
Lagasca, Varied. Ci. 2, 4:213 (1805).
Synonymy: L. hispidus Desf. ex DC. in Lam. & DC., FI. Franc. edn 3, 6:572 (1815), non DC. (1805).
, Lotus suaveolens Common name: Hairy birds-foot trefoil, Boyds clover.
Description:
Villous much-branched straggling annual, stems terete, 10-30 cm long (in S.Aust.), hollow; leaflets obovate-oblong or oblong, lanceolate, 5-20 x 2-8 mm, sericeous, lower pair sometimes smaller and/or nearly cordate, longer than the petiole.
Flowers 6-10 mm long, 1-4 usually 3 per umbel, on peduncles 1-3 cm long, 2-3 times longer than the leaf; bracts 3, leafy, at the summit ovate-lanceolate, smaller than the corresponding leaflets; calyx narrow-obconical, c. 5 mm long, sericeous, teeth subequal, lanceolate-subulate, 1-2 times longer than the tube; petals yellow, 5-8 mm long; standard obovate-spathulate, a little longer than the others; wings oblong-obovate, narrower and a bit shorter than the keel; keel triangular, on a short claw, obtusely angled along the lower edge, with a long straight pointed beak distinctly protruding.
Pods cylindrical, 6-16 x 1.5-2 mm, straight, to 3 times as long as the calyx, brown, 8-12-seeded; seed subglobose, c. 1 mm, brown or olive-green with dark spots, shining.
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Image source: fig. 344B in J.P. Jessop and H.R. Toelken Ed. 1986. Flora of South Australia (4th edn).
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Published illustration:
Ross-Craig (1954) Drawings Brit. Pl. 7:t. 47 as L. hispidus.
Distribution:
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S.Aust.: EP, SL, SE. W.Aust.; N.S.W.; Vic.; Tas. native to Europe and North Africa; introduced to New Zealand.
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Conservation status:
naturalised
Flowering time: Dec. — Feb.
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SA Distribution Map based
on current data relating to
specimens held in the
State Herbarium of South Australia
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Biology:
No text
Author:
Not yet available
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