ORNITHOPUS COMPRESSUS

Family and Genus:- See- LEGUMINOSAE

Common Names:- Yellow birdsfoot

Homotypic Synonyms:- Coronilla compressa, Ornithopodium compressum.

Meaning:- Ornithopus (Gr) Bird-foot (disposition of the fruits).

Compressus (L) Flattened sideways, pressed together.

General description:- Pubescent annual, usually branched from base.

Stems:-

1) 5-25 cm, soft-pubescent throughout.

Leaves:-

1) Narrowly oblong, imparipinnate, with 8-15 pairs of small, elliptical leaflets.

Flowers:-

1) 2-5 in a small head subtended by a large, leaf-like bract.

2) Peduncles, axillary, shorter than the subtending leaf.

3) Calyx teeth, narrowly lanceolate, shorter than the ± cylindrical tube.

4) Corolla, 5-8 mm, yellow.

Fruit:-

1) Legume, 20-40 mm, linear, slightly compressed, curved, transversely articulated,

somewhat constricted between the segments, with a long, curved beak.

Key features:-

1) Leaflets, 8-15 pairs.

2) Flower head, subtended by a large, leaf-like bract.

3) Legume, not or only slightly contracted between the segments.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Sandy coastal habitats, fallow fields, olive groves, dry open shrubby

vegetation, open coniferous woodland. 0-700(-1100) m.

Distribution:- Common in most of Greece, but irregularly distributed. - Throughout

the Mediterranean region. Fairly scattered across Crete, less common in the

central area.

Flowering time:- Late Mar to early June.

Photo by:- Dr. Armin Jagel