Flora of New Zealand Series

lotus

Stoloniferous perennial; stems ± glabrous to sparsely or moderately pilose, hollow, erect or ascending, woody at base. Lvs sessile, ± glabrous to sparsely or moderately pilose particularly below and on petioles and leaflet margins; leaflets obovate, obtuse to acute, cuneate at base, (5)-8-22-(30) mm long, with conspicuous lateral veins. Peduncles much > lvs, up to 120-(160) mm long. Infl. (4)-5-12-(15)-flowered. Calyx ± glabrous to moderately pilose; calyx teeth ± equal, narrowly triangular to subulate, ± = or < tube. Corolla yellow, 10-13 mm long; keel arched with a weakly incurved beak. Pod straight, rounded, not winged, 15-35 × 1.5-2.5 mm; seeds c. 1 mm diam.

N.: locally common to abundant throughout; S.: locally common to abundant throughout especially in wetter areas, less common in lowland eastern areas; St.: disturbed areas; K., Ch., C.

Europe, Asia, N. Africa 1867

Waste places, pasture, frequently along drains and in swamps.

FL Nov-Jan.

Lotus is used as a pasture plant and to stablise road cuttings; it is also widely naturalised through most of N.Z. Some authorities distinguish L. pedunculatus from L. uliginosus Schkuhr, but none of the characters used are satisfactory as considerable variation can be found in floral, vegetative and hair characters within populations and even within plants. It seems best regarded as one variable sp. for which the earlier name, L. pedunculatus Cav., must be used (Webb, C. J. and Forde, M. B., in prep.). Almost all records of L. corniculatus wild in N.Z. are referable to L. pedunculatus as are early records of L. major. L. pedunculatus may be distinguished from L. corniculatus and L. tenuis by the distinct lateral veins of the leaflets (Fig. 64).