HYMENOCARPOS CIRCINNATUS

Family and Genus:- See- LEGUMINOSAE

Common Names:- Disk trefoil

Homotypic Synonyms:- Anthyllis circinnata, Cornicina circinata,

Hymenocarpos nummularius, Medicago circinnata.

Meaning:- Hymen (Gr) Membrane-, membranous.

Carpos (Gr) Fruit, pod. = membranous-fruit (the thin wall).

Circinnatus (L) Curled round, coiled. (the fruit pod).

General description:- A low prostrate or sprawling annual, much-branched.

Stems:-

1) Up to 30 cm, patent-pubescent.

Leaves:-

1) With 1-3 pairs of lateral leaflets and a much larger, obovate-cuneate terminal

leaflet.

Flowers:-

1) (1-)2-4 in small pedunculate, bracteate umbels.

2) Calyx, campanulate;

a) teeth equal, narrowly lanceolate, longer than tube.

3) Corolla c. 6 mm, deep yellow to orange-yellow.

Fruit:-

1) Legume, flat, orbicular-reniform,10-15 mm wide, with a membranous, usually

dentate wing, indehiscent.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Open grassland, open dry shrubby vegetation with Sarcopotrium

spinosum and Thymbra capitata, abandonded terraces. 0-200 m.

Distribution:- Common in most of Greece, but rare in the interior north. -

widespread in the Mediterranean region and through Anatolia to Syria and Iran,

Widespread and common on Crete.

Flowering time:- Apr-May.

Photos by:- Steve Lenton