ANTHYLLIS VULNERARIA subsp. RUBRIFLORA

Family and Genus:- See- LEGUMINOSAE

Common Names:- Red kidney-vetch.

Homotypic Synonyms:- Anthyllis rubriflora, Anthyllis vulneraria var. rubriflora

Vulneraria heterophylla var. rubriflora, Vulneraria rubriflora.

Meaning:- Anthyllis (Gr) Downy-flower.

Vulneraria (L) Of wounds, (wound healing property).

Rubriflora (L) Red-flowered.

General description:- Often annual, occasionally perennating.

Stems:-

1) 10-35 cm, ascending to erect, usually appressed-pubescent.

Leaves:-

1) Mostly in the lower part of the stem, with up to 5 unequal leaflets or often

reduced to an elliptical, terminal leaflet, up to 7-13 cm.

Flowers:-

1) In terminal heads subtended by deeply lobed involucral bracts exceeding the

flowers.

2) Calyx, 12-14 mm, pale below, purple above, ± appressed-sericeous.

3) Corolla, c. 18 mm, red, pink or cream.

Fruits:-

1) Legume, 5-6 mm, ovoid, usually 1 seeded.

Key features:-

1) Herbs, sometimes slightly woody at the base, but never with woody branches.

3) Calyx, 10-13·5(-14) mm, unequally 5-toothed, the mouth oblique.

4) Legume, 1-seeded, or if 2-seeded then not constricted between the seeds.

5) Leaves mainly confined to the lower part of the stem.

6) Lower cauline leaves, inequifoliolate, with 1-3 leaflets.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Open dry shrubby vegetation, dolines, field margins, olive groves, mainly

over limestone, rarely on cliffs. 0-900(-2000) m.

Distribution:- From the Balearic Is. and Corsica eastwards to Turkey - not Sicily or

Cyprus. Widespread and common on Crete.

Flowering time:- Mar to June.

Photos by:- Steve Lenton