Lotus crassifolius
| Lotus crassifolius | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Rosids |
| Order: | Fabales |
| Family: | Fabaceae |
| Subfamily: | Faboideae |
| Tribe: | Loteae |
| Genus: | Lotus |
| Species: | L. crassifolius |
| Binomial name | |
| Lotus crassifolius (Benth.) Greene | |
| Synonyms | |
Lotus crassifolius, now reclassified as Hosackia crassifolia,[1] is a species of trefoil, a legume, known by the common names big deervetch and broad-leafed lotus.[2]
Distribution
The plant is native to western North America, in California, Oregon, and Washington (U.S. states); and into Baja California (Méxican state).
The California populations are found in diverse habitats, including chaparral, California oak woodland, California mixed evergreen forest, and conifer forest.[1][2]
Description
Lotus crassifolius/Hosackia crassifolia is a long-lived, somewhat bushy plant which bears long straight stems with evenly spaced oval-shaped leaves.[1]
It produces thick bunches of yellow, pink-and-yellow, or scarlet-and-yellow pea flowers.[1] The bloom period is May to August.[2]
The brownish pea pods contain speckled red or brown peas.
Varieties
- Hosackia crassifolia var. crassifolia — broad-leafed lotus (formerly Lotus crassifolius var. crassifolius).[3]
- Hosackia crassifolia var. otayensis — Otay Mountain lotus, Otay Mountain hosackia (formerly Lotus crassifolius var. otayensis), endemic to Otay Mountain in the San Ysidro Mountains of San Diego County, California.[4] It is an Critically endangered species.[5]
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 Jepson eFlora: Hosackia crassifolia . accessed 12 June 2016.
- 1 2 3 4 Calflora: Hosackia crassifolia . accessed 12 June 2016.
- ↑ Calflora: Hosackia crassifolia var. crassifolia
- ↑ Calflora: Hosackia crassifolia var. otayensis
- ↑ California Native Plant Society, Inventory of Rare and Endangered Plants (online edition, v8-02): report for Hosackia crassifolia var. otayensis . accessed 12 June 2016.
External links
- Calflora: Hosackia crassifolia (Broad leaved lotus) — formerly Lotus crassifolius.
- Jepson Manual eFlora (YJM2) treatment of Hosackia crassifolia — formerly Lotus crassifolius.
- USDA Plants Profile for Lotus crassifolius (big deervetch)
- UC Photos gallery of Hosackia crassifolia — formerly Lotus crassifolius.