LOTUS PRESLII

Family and Genus:- See- LEGUMINOSAE/Sect. LOTUS

Common Names:- Narrow-leaved birdsfoot-trefoil

Homotypic Synonyms:- Lotus corniculatus var. tenuifolius, Lotus glaber.

Meaning:- Lotus (Gr) The ancient name for various leguminous plants.

Preslii (L) For the Bohemian botanists Jan Svatopluk Presli (1791-

1849) and his brother Carl (karel) Borivoj Presli (1794-1852) who published

important works on the Mediterranean flora.

General description:- Subglabrous to pilose perennial.

Stems:-

1) 20-40(-75) cm long, procumbent to suberect.

Leaves:-

1) Leaflets, 6-15 x 3-8 mm, narrowly obovate, less than 3 times as long as wide.

Flower:-

1) Heads, (1-)2-5-flowered on long peduncles, pedicels, c. 1.5 mm.

2) Calyx, ± actinomorphic, with subequal teeth c. 1½ times as long as the tube.

3) Corolla, 10-15 mm, yellow, about twice as long as the calyx.

Fruit:-

1) Legume, 15-30 x c. 2 mm. straight, cylindrical, glabrous.

2) Seeds, c. 1.5 mm, smooth.

Key features:-

1) Leaflets, lanceolate to obovate, usually not more than 3 times as long as wide.

2) Calyx-teeth, at least 1½ times as long as the tube.

3) Corolla, 10-15 mm, about twice as long as the calyx.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Saline coastal habitats, seasonally wet spots in dry open shrubby

vegetation, marshy places by springs and small streams. 0-600 m.

Distribution:- Coastal areas of W Greece. - Widespread, but scattered in the

Mediterranean region. Fairly rare on Crete, currently known from only a few

scattered coastal locations.

Flowering time:- Apr-June.

Photos by:- Charalambos Chiotelis