Ornithopus perpusillus

Little bird foot ( Ornithopus perpusillus )

The little bird foot ( Ornithopus perpusillus ), also called mice Wicke, belongs to the legume family ( Fabaceae ). Characteristic are its reminiscent of bird feet legumes, which gave it its German name.

Identifying

The little bird foot grows prostrate to ascending and branched only at the base. The single or perennial plant, therefore, often forming small " ball ". The leaves have 5-15 Fiederpaare. Each ovoid Blattfiederchen is about 2 to 5 mm long. The 3-4 mm small, whitish flowers have a yellowish boat and a red-striped flag, which is about as long as the feathery bracts. The corolla tube is more than twice as long as the conspicuous calyx teeth. The curved at the age legumes are divided and network annoying. The inflorescence appears vogelfußartig.

Occurrence

Ornithopus perpusillus inhabited mainly barren sand and silicate dry and semi- dry grassland. It is also found in relatively nutrient-poor, short-lived weeds corridors. Although he also populated wasteland, sandy fields, roadsides and pine forest edges, but is primarily used in ( internal ) before dunes. He is regarded as Kennart the phytosociological association Thero - Airion and has its main occurrence in Digitario - Setarienion and Arnoseridenion. In Germany, it is rarely found until dispersed. Its area of ​​distribution is limited to the temperate and meridional regions of Europe.