Lotus alamosanus (Rose) Gentry

  • Authority

    Isely, Duane. 1981. Leguminosae of the United States. III. Subfamily Papilionoideae: tribes Sophoreae, Podalyrieae, Loteae. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 25 (3): 1-264.

  • Family

    Fabaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Lotus alamosanus (Rose) Gentry

  • Description

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    Species Description - Procumbent, glabrate, mat-forming perennial 1-4 dm, rooting at nodes. Leaves either palmately trifoliolate or pinnately 5-foliolate; midstem leaves with leafstalk .5-1.5 cm, and obovate leaflets 5-10 mm, 1.2-1.6 r; uppermost leaves with leaflets 2.5-3 r. Stipules membranous. Umbels strigulose-pedunculate, 4-10 cm, ebracteate, with 1-4 flowers 5-7(-9) mm. Pedicels .5-1 mm. Calyx tube 1.6-2 mm, teeth .5-1 mm. Corolla yellow and white in U.S. Ovary with 11-12 ovules; style confluent. Legume erect, linear, 3 cm x 1.5 mm wide, dehiscent; valves thinly coriaceous, glabrate, elastic 2-3 turns. Seeds numerous. Hosackia.

  • Discussion

    Hosackia alamonsana Rose (1891); L. alamosanus (Rose) Rose (1891) nom. illegit.; L. alamosanus (Rose) Gentry (1942). This species, barely represented in the United States, is the only one of the Hosackia group in Arizona, those of similar aspect being Simpeteria with the stipules reduced to glands. I presume Lotus alamosanus is related to the Mexican L. chihuahuanus (Wats.) Greene. Notes on Mexican specimens say that L. alamosanus is a “riparian and aquatic herb” forming extensive mats in shallow water and that the flowers are “yellow and red.”

  • Distribution

    S Arizona and Mexico. Sw Santa Cruz co; Sycamore canyon and vicinity, Pajarito Mts. Moist soil, forming carpets along streams, oak woodlands, said to be locally abundant. 4000-5000 ft. April-May.

    United States of America North America| Mexico North America|