Kingdom Plantae Family Fabaceae Tribe Loteae Scientific name Lotus strigosus Rank Species | Order Fabales Subfamily Faboideae Genus Acmispon Higher classification Trefoil | |
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Similar Trefoil, Acmispon, Acmispon rigidus, Legumes, Acmispon glaber | ||
Acmispon strigosus (formerly Lotus strigosus), also called stiff-haired lotus or strigose bird's-foot trefoil, is an annual plant in the Pea Family (Fabaceae) found from central California to the Baja California Peninsula.
Contents
Range and habitat
It is native to the southwestern United States and adjacent Mexico, where it is known from many types of habitat, including disturbed areas.
Growth pattern
This is a prostrate annual herb. It is sometimes roughly hairy as its name suggests, but it may be somewhat woolly, fuzzy, or nearly hairless as well. Its slender branches are lined with leaves each made of several small leaflets.
Leaves
Leaves are 1/2" to 1" long. They are pinnately divided, with 4-9 obovate, alternate, leaflets, on a flattened rachis.
Flowers
The inflorescence bears one or two yellow to orange or red pealike flowers, each with a corolla one half to one centimeter across.
Fruit
The fruit is a legume pod 1 to 3 centimeters long.