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Key to families | Table of families and genera




Luc Brouillet

Annual, perennial herb, unarmed. Leaf: generally odd-1-pinnate; stipules gland-like, reduced to bumps, or inconspicuous; leaflets 3–9, lower 2 in stipular position or not, others ± palmately arranged. Inflorescence: umbel or 1–3-flowered, axillary, peduncled, bract 1–3-parted. Flower: corolla generally yellow, in age darkening; 9 filaments fused, 1 free. Fruit: dehiscent, exserted from calyx, linear to narrowly oblong, ± beaked. Seed: few to several.
± 125 species: Europe, Africa, to eastern Asia, Australia, New Caledonia; cultivated as forage, ground cover, ornamental. (Greek: derivation unclear) [Brouillet 2008 J Bot Res Inst Texas 2:387–394] Other taxa in TJM (1993) moved to Acmispon and Hosackia.

Key to Lotus

1. Annual, hairy; inflorescence 1–3-flowered; corolla 5–8(12) ..... L. angustissimus

1' Perennial herb, glabrous or hairy; inflorescence generally 3–12-flowered; corolla (6)7–14(18) mm

2. Inflorescence (5)8–12(15)-flowered; calyx lobes often outcurved in bud; rhizome present; stem generally hollow, hairs often spreading ..... L. uliginosus

2' Inflorescence 1–7(10)-flowered; calyx lobes not outcurved in bud; rhizome 0; stem generally solid, glabrous or strigose

3. Leaflet length of longest upper leaves 1.6–3(4) × width; corolla 10–14(16) mm ..... L. corniculatus

3' Leaflet length of longest upper leaves (2.5)3.2–5 × width; corolla (6)7–10(12) mm ..... L. tenuis

