Common name: Red-flowered Lotus
Lotus cruentus Court APNI* Synonyms: Lotus coccineus Schltdl. APNI*
Lotus coccineus var. pubescens Benth. APNI*
Description: Procumbent or ascending perennial herb, stems 5–50 mm long, sometimes mat-forming, glabrous to sparsely hairy.
Leaves with 5 leaflets, obovate, 5–15 long, 2–7 mm wide, the lower 2 much smaller than upper ones; apex ± emarginate, usually sparsely hairy.
Umbels 1–3-flowered; peduncle 5–30 mm long. Calyx 4–5 mm long, ± sparsely hairy. Corolla 4–9 mm long, dark red to pink or purple, rarely white.
Pod terete, 20–40 mm long, 2–3 mm diam., straight or incurved, brown; seeds mostly 8–20, brown, often spotted with black.
Flowering: chiefly spring–summer.
Distribution and occurrence: Widespread in various soil types and in many plant communities; from floodplains to sandplains or rocky hillsides.
NSW subdivisions: CT, NWS, CWS, SWS, NWP, SWP, NFWP, SFWP
Other Australian states: Qld Vic. W.A. S.A. N.T.
Reported poisonous to stock if eaten.
Text by E. H. Norris & G. J. Harden
Taxon concept: Flora of NSW 2 (1991)
APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data
***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.
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