- Lotus pedunculatus
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Lotus pedunculatus 
Scientific classification Kingdom: Plantae (unranked): Angiosperms (unranked): Eudicots (unranked): Rosids Order: Fabales Family: Fabaceae Subfamily: Faboideae Tribe: Loteae Genus: Lotus Species: L. pedunculatus Binomial name Lotus pedunculatus
Cav.Synonyms Lotus uliginosus Schkuhr
Lotus pedunculatus (formerly Lotus uliginosus), Greater Bird's-foot Trefoil or Marsh Bird's-foot Trefoil is a member of the pea family (Fabaceae).
It is a herbaceous perennial growing throughout Europe in damp, open locations. As one common name suggests, it is a larger plant than related Lotus species, growing 20–80 cm (8–30 in) tall, with leaflets 10–25 mm (0.4–1.0 in) long and 10–20 mm (0.4–0.8 in) broad. Five to twelve golden-yellow flowers 10–18 mm (0.4–0.7 in) long are borne in an umbel at the tip of the upright stem.
Unlike related species, the stem is always hollow, and the sepals turn back at their tips – these sepal tips form a characteristic "green star" at the end of the flower bud. The peak flowering period in the United Kingdom is June and July.[1]
L. pedunculatus occurs in a wide range of neutral, damp, open habitats, including certain fen-meadow plant associations such as Juncus subnodulosus-Cirsium palustre fen-meadow habitat.[2]
References
- ^ C.A. Stace, Interactive Flora of the British Isles, a Digital Encyclopaedia. ISBN 90-75000-69-3. (Online version)
- ^ C. Michael Hogan. 2009. Marsh Thistle: Cirsium palustre, GlobalTwitcher.com, ed. N. Strömberg
External links
- Forest & Kim Starr. 2002. Images of Hawaii. Photos of L. uliginosus
- Photos of L. uliginosus
- Images of L. pedunculatus
Categories:- Faboideae stubs
- Lotus (genus)
- Forages
- Flowers
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