Lotus uliginosus

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Greater Bird's-foot-trefoil
• Large Bird's-Foot-Trefoil
• Marsh Bird's-foot Trefoil
• big trefoil
• greater bird's-foot trefoil
• lotus
• greater birdsfoot-trefoil

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Lotus corniculatus proles pedunculatus
• Lotus corniculatus var. pedunculatus

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. It is classified under the class Equisetopsida and the subclass Magnoliidae within the order Fabales. Furthermore, it is a member of the family Fabaceae and falls under the genus Lotus.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a specific distribution across several regions within Northern Europe. It can be found growing in the coastal and wetland areas of Denmark. Its presence extends further north into the territories of Finland and the Faroe Islands. Additionally, the species is well-documented throughout the landscape of Great Britain. Finally, its geographical range includes the island of Ireland.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Lotus pedunculatus is characterized by its ability to thrive across a broad altitudinal gradient, ranging from sea level up to a maximum elevation of 1500 m AMSL. This species is frequently found in managed habitats, where its growth and distribution are often influenced by human-altered landscapes and land management practices. Its presence across such a wide elevational spectrum indicates a versatile ecological plasticity, allowing it to adapt to varying temperature regimes and atmospheric pressures from lowland coastal areas to higher montane zones.

Elevational range max:

1500 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

managed

Life history

The life history of Lotus pedunculatus is characterized by its status as a perennial species, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons. It functions as a hemicryptophyte, a life form where the perennating buds are located at or just below the soil surface, which aids in its survival through varying environmental conditions. The plant exhibits a deciduous nature, shedding its foliage during unfavorable periods to conserve energy and resources. This combination of a perennial lifecycle, a hemicryptophytic growth habit, and deciduousness defines its strategy for long-term establishment and seasonal adaptation in its natural habitat.

Deciduousness :

deciduous

Life form :

hemicryptophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Lotus pedunculatus is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb and specifically a forb. As a self-supporting plant, it does not function as a liana or vine, exhibiting an ascending shoot orientation. The plant typically grows in a terrestrial habitat and maintains an independent life cycle, functioning neither as a parasite nor as an epiphyte. In terms of stature, its height is variable, with measurements ranging from a minimum of 0.1 m to a maximum of 1 m, resulting in an average plant height of approximately 0.321 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

1 m

Plant height mean:

0.321 m

Plant height min:

0.1 m

Shoot orientation :

ascending

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Lotus pedunculatus is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway and a non-carnivorous nutritional strategy, supplemented by its capacity to function as a nitrogen fixer. The leaf morphology is predominantly ovate, with leaf dimensions exhibiting significant variability; individual leaves range in length from a minimum of 0.4 cm to a maximum of 3 cm, while their width varies between 0.3 cm and 1.5 cm, resulting in a mean leaf size of approximately 5.11 cm². Furthermore, the plant maintains a mean Specific Leaf Area (SLA) of 257.62 cm²/g, reflecting its specialized leaf structure and resource allocation patterns.

Carnivory :

non-carnivorous

Leaf form :

ovate

Leaf length max:

3 cm

Leaf length min:

0.4 cm

Leaf size mean:

5.11 cm²

Leaf width max:

1.5 cm

Leaf width min:

0.3 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

yes

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Specific Leaf Area (SLA) mean:

257.62 cm²/g

Reproduction

The reproduction of Lotus pedunculatus is primarily sexual, characterized by bisexual flowers that lack the capacity for self-fertilization. The flowering period typically begins in June and concludes in July, featuring yellow flowers that measure between 1 cm and 1.5 cm in length. These flowers rely on a biotic pollination syndrome, specifically utilizing insects such as bees to facilitate fertilization. Following successful pollination, the plant develops dry, brown, pod-type fruits. These pods vary in size, with a mean length of 2.5 cm (ranging from 1 cm to a maximum of 4 cm) and a mean width of 0.2 cm (ranging from 0.15 cm to a maximum of 0.25 cm). The fruits are dehiscence-based and exhibit an autochorous dispersal syndrome, meaning they disperse seeds through their own internal mechanisms. Each fruit is highly productive, containing between 101 and 1000 seeds. The seeds themselves are minute, with a consistent length of 1.1 mm and a volume of approximately 0.9 mm³. The seed mass is quite small, ranging from a minimum of 0.00048 g to a mean of 0.002544 g. Notably, asexual reproduction is absent in this species.

Dehiscence :

dehiscent

Dispersal syndrome :

autochorous

Flower colour :

yellow

Flower length max:

1.5 cm

Flower length min:

1 cm

Flowering time :

Jun

Flowering time :

Jul

Fruit colour :

brown

Fruit dryness :

dry

Fruit length max:

4 cm

Fruit length mean:

2.5 cm

Fruit length min:

1 cm

Fruit type :

pod

Fruit width max:

0.25 cm

Fruit width mean:

0.2 cm

Fruit width min:

0.15 cm

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

bee

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Reproduction asexual :

absent

Reproduction sexual :

bisexual

Seed length mean:

1.1 mm

Seed mass max:

0.00048 g

Seed mass mean:

0.002544 g

Seed volume max:

0.9 mm³

Seeds_per_fruit :

101-1000

Self fertilization :

absent

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Lotus pedunculatus has 5 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Condensed Tannins, Condensed Tannin, LIGNIN, cellulose, pectin.

Condensed Tannins

1. The British journal of nutrition
2. The Veterinary record
3. Veterinary parasitology

Condensed Tannin

1. The British journal of nutrition

LIGNIN

1. The British journal of nutrition

cellulose

1. The British journal of nutrition

pectin

1. The British journal of nutrition

Preparations

Lotus pedunculatus has 8 reported preparations identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include Primary-growth lotus, condensed tannins, fresh, fresh Lotus pedunculatus, fresh lotus.

Primary-growth lotus

1. The British journal of nutrition

Condensed tannins

1. The Veterinary record

Fresh

1. The British journal of nutrition

Fresh lotus pedunculatus

1. The British journal of nutrition

Fresh lotus

1. The British journal of nutrition

Herbages

1. The British journal of nutrition

Secondary-growth lotus

1. The British journal of nutrition

Vegetative lotus pedunculatus cut and fed fresh

1. The British journal of nutrition