Common name: Australian Trefoil
Lotus australis Andrews APNI* Synonyms: Lotus australis f. subhirsuta Domin APNI*
Description: Erect or ascending perennial herb to 60 cm high, sparsely pubescent to glabrous.
Leaves with 5 leaflets, oblanceolate to ± linear or rarely obovate, mostly 10–30 mm long, 2–5 mm wide, the lower 2 scarcely smaller than upper ones; apex cuneate, glabrous to sparsely pubescent.
Umbels 3–8-flowered; peduncle 2–10 cm long. Calyx 5–10 mm long, ± glabrous. Corolla 10–20 mm long, pink, white or sometimes purple; keel darker than standard; wings paler.
Pod terete, 30–50 mm long, 2–3 mm diam., ± straight; seeds 15-many, brown, smooth.
Flowering: all year, but mostly in spring.
Distribution and occurrence: Widespread, in grassland to sclerophyll forest.
NSW subdivisions: NC, CC, SC, NT, CT, ST, NWS, CWS, SWS, NWP
Other Australian states: Qld Vic. Tas. S.A. W.A.
Text by E. H. Norris & G. J. Harden
Taxon concept: Flora of NSW 2 (1991)
APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data
***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.
|
