LOTUS CYTISOIDES

Family and Genus:- See- LEGUMINOSAE/Sect. LOTEA/L. CRETICUS Group

Common Name:- Grey birdsfoot-trefoil

Homotypic Synonyms:- Lotus creticus var. cytisoides, Lotus creticus subsp.

cytisoides, Lotus prostratus subsp. cytisoides.

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

Cytisoides (Gr) Resembling cytisus a clover-like plant.

General description:- Low to short spreading silvery-hairy perennial.

Stems:-

1) 15-40 cm.several. slender, procumbent to ascending, herbaceous.

Leaves:-

1) 5-foliolate, sparsely appressed-pubescent to glabrescent, slightly fleshy.

a) lower, small.

b) others larger, obovate, ± truncate, rhachis 2-4 mm.

Flowers:-

1) Peduncles, much longer than the subtending leaf.

2) Umbels, usually 2-4-flowered.

3) Calyx, 6-7·5 mm, indistinctly bilabiate; teeth lanceolate, the lateral equalling the

tube, the others somewhat longer.

4) Corolla, 8-14 mm bright yellow,

a) standard, distinctly emarginate.

b) wings, slightly longer than the keel.

c) keel, with a short, curved, purple beak (about as long as the rest of the keel).

Fruit:-

1) Legume, straight or slightly curved.

Key features:-

1) Lateral calyx-teeth, obtuse, much shorter than the upper.

2) Keel, with a short, curved beak.

3) Legume, straight or slightly curved.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Rocky and sometimes sandy maritime habitats, also on small islands,

sometimes in open dry shrubby vegetation up to 300(600) m.

Distribution:- Common in coastal habitats throughout Greece, Widespread and

throughout the Mediterranean. Somewhat scattered distribution across Crete mainly

C. and W. coastal regions.

Flowering time:- Late Mar to mid-June, occasionally at other times.

Photos by:- Fotis Samaritakis & Johanna Heath