LOTUS CONIMBRICENSIS

Family and Genus:- See- LEGUMINOSAE/Sect. ERYTHROLOTUS

Common Names:- None

Homotypic Synonyms:- None

Meaning:- Lotus (Gr) The ancient name for various leguminous plants.

Conimbricensis (L) From Condeixa, Portugal.

General description:- Glabrous or sparsely pilose annual.

Stems:-

1) 10-25 cm. usually several, procumbent to ascending.

Leaves:-

1) 5-foliate, slightly glaucous.

2) Lower pair, broader than the others, obliquely ovate.

3) Upper, 3, 4-10 mm. long, narrowly obovate to rhombic.

Flower:-

1) Peduncles, shorter than the leaves, 1(-2)-flowered.

2) Calyx, c. 7 mm teeth subequal, narrowly lanceolate, equalling or somewhat

exceeding the tube.

3) Corolla, slightly longer than the calyx 5-8 mm, white or pale rose-pink with a

purple tipped keel.

Fruit:-

1) Legume, narrow linear, 40-7 x 1-2 mm. arched upwards, terete.

Key features:-

1) Legume, strongly curved.

2) Peduncles, 1(2-)flowered shorter than the leaves.

3) Corolla, pale rose-pink with a purple keel.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Sandy coastal habitats, field margins, olive groves, seasonally damp

spots in phrygana. 0-800(1200) m.

Distribution:- NW Africa and Portugal eastwards to Greece. - Widespread in the

Mediterranean region, eastwards to Anatolia. Fairly widely scattered on Crete.

Flowering time:- Mar-June.

Photos by:- Steve Lenton