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Lotus corniculatus
| Common name: |
Bird's Foot Trefoil |
Family: |
Leguminosae |
| Author: |
L. |
Botanical references: |
17, 200 |
| Synonyms: |
|
| Known Hazards: |
All parts of the plant are poisonous, containing cyanogenic glycosides(hydrogen cyanide)[65, 76]. In small quantities, hydrogen cyanide has been shown to stimulate respiration and improve digestion, it is also claimed to be of benefit in the treatment of cancer. In excess, however, it can cause respiratory failure and even death. This species is polymorphic for cyanogenic glycosides[218].
The flowers of some forms of the plant contain traces of prussic acid and so the plants can become mildly toxic when flowering[218]. They are completely innocuous when dried[218]. |
| Range: |
Europe, including Britain, from Scandanavia south and east to N. Africa and temperate Asia. |
| Habitat: |
Pastures and sunny banks of streams, especially on calcareous soils[7, 13, 17]. |
| Edibility Rating (1-5): |
2 | Medicinal Rating (1-5): | 1 |
| Other Possible Synonyms: | From various places across the web, may not be correct. See below. |
| L. ambiguus[G]
L. balticus[G]
L. carpetanus[G]
L. corniculatus subsp. major[G]
L. corniculatus var. arvensis[B,P]
L. corniculatus var. major[G]
L. komarovii[G]
L. major[G]
L. olgae[G]
L. peczoricus[G]
L. ruprechtii[G]
L. tauricus[G]
L. ucrainicus[G]
L. zhegulensis[G]
|
| Other Common Names: | From various places around the Web, may not be correct. See below. |
| Baby's Slippers [H], Bacon And Eggs [H], Bird's Foot Trefoil [H], Birdfoot Deervetch [P], Birdsfoot Trefoil [E], Common Bird's-foot Trefoil [L], Cuernecillo [E], Garden Bird's-foot-trefoil [B], Gewone Rolklaver [D], Pai Mai Ken [E], |
| Epithets: | From a Dictionary of Botanical Epithets |
|
corniculatus = horned
|
| Systematics: | From a USDA Plants Database |
|
Order: Fabales. Renamed to Fabaceae -- Pea family
|
| Other Range Info: |
From the Ethnobotany Database |
|
China
Spain Us
|
| Noxious, Invasive and Injurious Weeds | From USDA PLANTS database, Weeds Australia
, DEFRA Injurious Weeds | | Listed as noxious/invasive for: USA Invasive. |
Physical Characteristics
Perennial growing to 0.3m by 0.5m . It is hardy to zone 5. It is in flower from June to September, and the seeds ripen from August to October. The scented flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Bees.
The plant is self-fertile.
It can fix Nitrogen.
It is noted for attracting wildlife.
We rate it 2/5 for edibility and
1/5 for medicinal use.
The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils, requires well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil.
The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils.
It cannot grow in the shade.
It requires dry or moist soil.
The plant can tolerate maritime exposure.
Habitats and Possible Locations
Meadow, Lawn.Edible Uses
Seedpod.
The young seedpods are 'nibbled'[177]. Caution is advised, see notes
above on toxicity.
Medicinal Uses
Disclaimer
Antiinflammatory
Antispasmodic Cardiotonic Carminative Febrifuge Hypoglycaemic Restorative Sedative Tonic Vermifuge.
Carminative, febrifuge, hypoglycaemic, restorative, vermifuge[178].
The flowers are antispasmodic, cardiotonic and sedative[7].
The root is carminative, febrifuge, restorative and tonic[218].
The plant is used externally as a local anti-inflammatory compress in all
cases of skin inflammation[7].
Other Uses
Dye
Green manure.
An orange-yellow dye is obtained from the flowers[74].
A useful green manure plant, fixing atmospheric nitrogen[7]. It is difficult
to see this plant as a useful green manure, it is fairly slow growing with us
and does not produce much bulk[K].
Cultivation details
Requires a well-drained soil in a sunny position[200]. Dislikes
shade[200]. Does well on poor soils[61].
An important food plant for many caterpillars[30]. It is also a good bee
plant[74], the flowers providing an important source of nectar[240].
The flowers are powerfully scented, even though they are able to pollinate
themselves[245].
The plant spreads very freely at the roots[1].
This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these
bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this
nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other
plants growing nearby[200].
Propagation
Pre-soak the seed for 24 hours in warm water and then sow in the spring
or autumn in situ. The seed usually germinates in 2 - 4 weeks at 15° c.
If seed is in short supply, it can be sown in pots in a cold frame. When
they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots
and plant them out in late spring or early summer.
Scent
-
Flowers: Fresh
- The flowers are powerfully scented, even though they are able to pollinate themselves.
Suppliers
Plants For A Future is working with the following groups to try and make these plants easily available. Parts of the proceeds will be donated to so please mention us when ordering.
- Cool Temperate Nurseries
-
10 Ivy Grove
Nottingham
NG7 7LZ
Email: philcorbett53@hotmail.com
Phone 0115 847 8302
Fax 0115 847 8302
Distribution: UK
How to order: Direct from Cool Temperate by email/phone
Notes: Many Trees supplied on their own rootstock
Last Updated: April 03
Item:
Lotus corniculatus
(Birdsfoot Trefoil)
For more details of plant suppliers please see our Suppliers Page which lists many more places to look.
Web References
- [H] Details of Scandanavian and European Common names in Henriette's names database
- [E] Ethnobotany Data
(common names, uses, countries) from the Ethnobotany Database.
- [B] Data
(Latin & Common names, other references) from the BONAP's Synonymized Checklist of the Vascular Flora of the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.
- [G] Data
(Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic database.
- [FAO] Data
(Description, Habitat, Location and Use) from the FAO's Grassland Index.
- [C] Taxon data.
from the CalFlora database.
- Images
from the CalPhoto database.
- [P] Data.
(uses, distribution, wetland) from the USDA'a Plants database.
- [HP] Links, Photos, Suppliers from Hortiplex Plant Database
References for lotus corniculatus (a possible synonym).
See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.
Also try Photos and info from the The Plants Database which has 14,000 images.
[K] Ken Fern
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
[1] F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).
[7] Chiej. R. Encyclopaedia of Medicinal Plants. MacDonald 1984 ISBN 0-356-10541-5
Covers plants growing in Europe. Also gives other interesting information on the plants. Good photographs.
[13] Triska. Dr. Hamlyn Encyclopaedia of Plants. Hamlyn 1975 ISBN 0-600-33545-3
Very interesting reading, giving some details of plant uses and quite a lot of folk-lore.
[17] Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962
A very comprehensive flora, the standard reference book but it has no pictures.
[30] Carter D. Butterflies and Moths in Britain and Europe. Pan 1982 ISBN 0-330-26642-x
An excellent book on Lepidoptera, it also lists their favourite food plants.
[61] Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974 ISBN 0094579202
Forget the sexist title, this is one of the best books on the subject. Lists a very extensive range of useful plants from around the world with very brief details of the uses. Not for the casual reader.
[65] Frohne. D. and Pfänder. J. A Colour Atlas of Poisonous Plants. Wolfe 1984 ISBN 0723408394
Brilliant. Goes into technical details but in a very readable way. The best work on the subject that I've come across so far.
[74] Komarov. V. L. Flora of the USSR. Israel Program for Scientific Translation 1968
An immense (25 or more large volumes) and not yet completed translation of the Russian flora. Full of information on plant uses and habitats but heavy going for casual readers.
[76] Cooper. M. and Johnson. A. Poisonous Plants in Britain and their Effects on Animals and Man. HMSO 1984 ISBN 0112425291
Concentrates mainly on the effects of poisonous plants to livestock.
[177] Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984 ISBN 3874292169
An excellent book for the dedicated. A comprehensive listing of latin names with a brief list of edible parts.
[178] Stuart. Rev. G. A. Chinese Materia Medica. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre
A translation of an ancient Chinese herbal. Fascinating.
[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
[218] Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. 1985 ISBN 0-917256-20-4
Details of over 1,200 medicinal plants of China and brief details of their uses. Often includes an analysis, or at least a list of constituents. Heavy going if you are not into the subject.
[240] Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement). Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi. 1986
Very terse details of medicinal uses of plants with a wide range of references and details of research into the plants chemistry. Not for the casual reader.
[245] Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale. London. 1994 ISBN 0-7090-5440-8
An excellent, comprehensive book on scented plants giving a few other plant uses and brief cultivation details. There are no illustrations.
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