Lotus (genus)

Common bird's-foot trefoil ( Lotus corniculatus )

Birdsfoot trefoil ( Lotus ) is a plant genus in the family Fabaceae ( Faboideae ) within the legume family ( Fabaceae ).

Description

Fenugreek - species are mostly herbaceous plants. Most species have pinnate leaves with three leaflets and two large stipules at the stem base, which can often achieve the same size as the leaves, so that the impression of " five leaves " is created. Some species have pinnate leaves with up to 15 leaflets.

In doldigen inflorescences are three to ten flowers at the top of the stem with a few bracts at the base. The hermaphrodite flowers are zygomorphic and fünfzählig double perianth. Most species have yellow petals, often with a reddish flag.

The legumes are horn-shaped curved, which led to the common name of the genus birdsfoot trefoil.

Ecology

Fenugreek - species are adapted to a wide range of habitats, they come from the coastal region to the high mountains before.

Some trefoil species provide food of caterpillars of some butterflies like the mustard white butterfly and Icarus 's Blue dar.

Types (selection)

In the genus -foot trefoil ( Lotus ), there are about 150 species (selection):

• Alps - foot trefoil ( Lotus alpinus ( DC.) Schleicher ex Ramond )
• Narrow foot trefoil ( Lotus angustissimus L.)
• Canary birdsfoot trefoil ( Lotus berthelotii mASF, Syn. Lotus peliorhynchus Hook f. )
• Zweiblütige Asparagus Without ( Lotus biflorus Desr, Syn. Tetranolobus biflorus ( Desr. ) Ser. )
• Slovak birdsfoot trefoil ( Lotus borbasii Ujhelyi )
• Canary Islands pine forest - foot trefoil ( Lotus campylocladus Webb & Berthel. )
• Common bird's-foot trefoil ( Lotus corniculatus L.) Lotus corniculatus var japonicus rule

Pictures

Asparagus pea ( Lotus maritimus )

Crete - foot trefoil ( Lotus creticus )

Rauhaariger birdsfoot trefoil ( Lotus hispidus )

Marsh trefoil ( Lotus pedunculatus )