Photographs: County Cork

Greater Birds-foot-trefoil Lotus pedunculatus Crobh éin corraigh Family: Fabaceae Flowering time: June-August. Perennial. Native. Yellow flowers, 5-12 per flower-head. Flower-buds sometimes streaked red. Elongated seed-pods. Leaflets blunt, broadly oval, 3 leaflets to each leaf. Hollow stems. Erect, sprawling plant, usually hairy, but can be variable. Height to 60cm. Common in damp ground, meadows, marshes, wet roadsides. Related: Hairy Birds-foot-trefoil, L. subbiflorus. 2-4 flowers on each stalk. Low, spreading. Very hairy stems, leaves. Rare, SW Ireland.

     
Above: pale-yellow form of Greater Birds-foot-trefoil. Ballingeary, County Cork. August 2008.