Lotus argophyllus

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Lotus argophyllus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Rosids
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Subfamily: Faboideae
Tribe: Loteae
Genus: Lotus
Species: L. argophyllus
Binomial name
Lotus argophyllus
(A.Gray) Greene
Synonyms

Acmispon argophyllus (A. Gray) Brouillet

Lotus argophyllus is a species of legume known by the common name silver bird's-foot trefoil. It is also sometimes classified as Acmispon argophyllus. [1]

It is endemic to California, where it can be found in the southern California Coast Ranges, Peninsular Ranges, and Transverse Ranges, the Sierra Nevada, Southern California coastal zones, and the Channel Islands. It is found in chaparral, conifer forest, and other habitat types.

Description

Lotus argophyllus is a perennial herb growing prostrate to erect, the base of its stem woody and tough and upper parts coat in silky silvery hairs. The leaves are each made up of pairs of hairy oval leaflike leaflets around a centimeter long.

The inflorescence is a cluster of many tubular yellow flowers each about a centimeter long, encased at the base in a calyx of silky-hairy sepals. The fruit is legume pod generally containing a single seed.

Varieties

The varieties of this species include: [1]

  • L. a. var. adsurgens — San Clemente Island bird's-foot trefoil; endemic to San Clemente Island, one of the Channel Islands of California. It is rare. [2]
  • L. a. var. argenteus — Channel islands silver lotus; endemic to several of the Channel Islands. [3]
  • L. a. var. argophyllus — Fremont's silver lotus; a more common variety which can be found in mainland distribution. [4]
  • L. a. var. fremontii is known only from the Sierra Nevada.
  • L. a. var. niveus — Santa Cruz Island bird's-foot trefoil; endemic to Santa Cruz Island, another of the Channel Islands. It is rare. [5] [6]

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Calflora database: Acmispon argophyllus — (A. Gray) Brouillet . accessed 2.14.2013
  2. ↑ Calflora: L. a. var. adsurgens
  3. ↑ Calflora: L. a. var. argenteus
  4. ↑ Calflora: L. a. var. argophyllus
  5. ↑ Calflora: L. a. var. niveus
  6. ↑ Botany Photo of the Day: var niveus

External links

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