Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Rosids
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Subfamily: Faboideae
Tribe: Loteae
Genus: Lotus
Species: L. tenuis
Binomial name: Lotus tenuis
Synonym: Lotus glaber
Common name: Narrow-leaved birdsfoot trefoil, Narrowleaf trefoil, Slender trefoil, Creeping trefoil, Prostrate trefoil, Deer vetch.
Lotus tenuis is a flowering, perennial plant of the pea family Fabaceae, native to the north-west and east Europe, Mediterranean basin, south-west and East Asia. It has become naturalised in New Zealand. It tends towards prostrate growth habit on account of weak stems but it will climb through shrubs up to a height of 1.5 m plus.
It is suited to humid-temperate environments and adapts to wasteland, swampy conditions, heavy soils and to saline and alkaline soils.
The inflorescences bear 8-10 lemon yellow florets, 7-10 mm. The plant is tap-rooted with extensive lateral root branching, especially in upper soil layers.
Flowering just starting early December.
A patch of Lotus tenuis in flower.
Flowers with developing seed pods
Seedpods
Photographed on the Tongariro Alpine Crossing. Elevation 1450 m.
The leaves.
Thanks to Wikipedia for text and Information: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
