SPECIES DESCRIPTION
LOTUS CYTISOIDES

Family and Genus:- See- LEGUMINOSAE/Sect. LOTEA/L. CRETICUS Group

Common Name:- Grey birdsfoot-trefoil

Homotypic Synonyms:- Lotus creticus var. cytisoides, Lotus creticus subsp.
cytisoides, Lotus prostratus subsp. cytisoides.

Meaning:- Lotus (Gr) The ancient name for various leguminous plants.
                  Cytisoides (Gr) Resembling cytisus a clover-like plant.
               
General description:- Low to short spreading silvery-hairy perennial.

Stems:-
1) 15-40 cm.several. slender, procumbent to ascending, herbaceous.

Leaves:-
1) 5-foliolate, sparsely appressed-pubescent to glabrescent, slightly fleshy.
2) Lower, small.
3) Others larger, obovate, ± truncate, rhachis 2-4 mm.

Flowers:-
1) Peduncles, much longer than the subtending leaf.
2) Umbels, usually 2-4-flowered.
3) Calyx, 6-7·5 mm, indistinctly bilabiate; teeth lanceolate, the lateral equalling the  
    tube, the others somewhat longer.
4) Corolla, 8-14 mm bright yellow,
    a) standard, distinctly emarginate.
    b) wings, slightly longer than the keel.
    c) keel, with a short, curved, purple beak (about as long as the rest of the keel).

Fruit:-
1) Legume, straight or slightly curved.

Key features:-
1) Lateral calyx-teeth, obtuse, much shorter than the upper.
2) Keel, with a short, curved beak.
3) Legume, straight or slightly curved.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Rocky and sometimes sandy maritime habitats, also on small islands,
sometimes in open dry shrubby vegetation up to 300(600) m.

Distribution:- Common in coastal habitats throughout Greece, Widespread and
throughout the Mediterranean. Somewhat scattered distribution across Crete mainly
C. and W. coastal regions.

Flowering time:- Late Mar to mid-June, occasionally at other times.

Photos by:- Fotis Samaritakis & Johanna Heath