Lotus ornithopodioides L.

Spice Flower In the field

Family: LEGUMINOSAE

Genus: Lotus

Catalan common name: Banya de cabra.

Spanish common name: Corona de rey. Cuernecillo. Pie de gallo.

Province distribution: Alacant. Balearic Islands. Barcelona. Girona. Tarragona. València.

Distribution in the islands: Mallorca. Menorca. Ibiza. Formentera. Cabrera.

General distribution (Phytogeography): Mediterranean

IUCN Category: LCLeast concern

Flowering time: JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Life-forms: Terophyte.

Habitats: Cultivated fields, path and road sides, disturbed zones. Therophytic calicole fields. Therophytic communities, path and road sides.

Characteristics: An annual plant that lives in terraphytic meadows and dry-farmed fields. This is a legume with trifoliolate leaves and yellow flowers, many other legumes also fit this description, but when in fructifying, it is easy to recognize, as the legumes are very compressed and slightly arched; as the flowers are always in groups of 4 or 5, the whole forms a dactylar appendage that reminds one of a bird's foot. Another identifying characteristic is that the flowers are borne directly upon the leaf axil. Flowers throughout the spring.