Click for help
Volume IV (1988) - Flora of New Zealand Naturalised Pteridophytes, Gymnosperms, Dicotyledons
Copy a link to this page Cite this record

Lotus L.

LOTUS L.

Annual to perennial, procumbent to erect herbs or rarely subshrubs. Lvs pinnately 5-foliolate (rarely 4-foliolate but not in N.Z. spp.); leaflets entire; principal lateral veins conspicuous or not; stipules minute or 0. Infls axillary, usually umbellate, 1-many-flowered; bracts often 3-foliolate, subtending umbels; bracteoles usually 0. Calyx teeth 5, subequal or lower longer, rarely connate into 2 lips. Corolla deciduous. Vexillary filament free, the remainder connate; anthers uniform. Style glabrous; stigma terminal or lateral. Pod 2-valved, straight or slightly curved, dehiscent, not armed, many-seeded; seeds estrophiolate, smooth and rounded in N.Z. spp.

Key

1
Corolla 15-22 mm long, crimson; pod sutures with wings 2-5 mm wide
*tetragonolobus ζ
Corolla 6-15 mm long, yellow or marked reddish orange; pod sutures not winged
2
2
Corolla 9-15 mm long; calyx teeth narrowly triangular, = or < tube
3
Corolla 6-8-(9) mm long; calyx teeth linear-lanceolate, = or > tube
5
3
Leaflets with conspicuous lateral veins; stem hollow; infl. (4)-5-12-(15)-flowered
3. *pedunculatus
Leaflets with inconspicuous lateral veins; stems ± solid; infl. (1)-2-4-(7)-flowered
4
4
Upper leaflets linear to narrowly obovate; corolla 9-12 mm long
5 *tenuis
Upper leaflets obovate; corolla 10-15 mm long
2. *corniculatus
5
Pod 6-13-(15) × 1.5-2 mm; corolla keel obtusely angled nearer base than middle and attenuate; infl. 1-4-flowered
4. *suaveolens
Pod (15)-20-30-(35) × 1-1.5-(2) mm; corolla keel ± right angled at about middle or above; infl. 1-2-(3)-flowered
1. *angustissimus

c. 100 spp., N. temperate regions, also extending to Africa, Australia and S. America. Naturalised spp. 6.

Lotus is a taxonomically difficult genus. The naturalised N.Z. spp. are easily distinguished from one another, but doubt remains as to the correct application of the available names.

Fig. 63. Pods of Lotus. A L. angustissimus; B L. suaveolens. © All rights reserved. [Image: 4X5P]
Fig. 63. Pods of Lotus. A L. angustissimus; B L. suaveolens. © All rights reserved. [Image: 4X5P]
Fig. 64. Lvs of Lotus. A L. pedunculatus; B L. tenuis. © All rights reserved. [Image: 4X5Q]
Fig. 64. Lvs of Lotus. A L. pedunculatus; B L. tenuis. © All rights reserved. [Image: 4X5Q]
Click to go back to the top of the page
Top