Lotus utahensis Ottley

  • 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 utahensis Ottley

  • Description

    Deprecated: mb_convert_encoding(): Handling HTML entities via mbstring is deprecated; use htmlspecialchars, htmlentities, or mb_encode_numericentity/mb_decode_numericentity instead in /home/emu/nybgweb/www-dev/htdocs/science-dev/wp-content/themes/nybgscience/lib/VHMonographsDetails.php on line 179

    Species Description - Strigose or puberulent, erect perennial from subterranean origin with clustered or few, stiff, straight, basally rhizomatous stems 1-5 dm. Leaves sessile or subsessile, homomorphic, or upper with fewer and narrower leaflets; leafstalk none; leaflets palmate, (2-)4-6, oblanceolate, .7-1.6 cm, 3-10 r. Stipules inconspicuous black glands. Umbels pedunculate 2-5(-7) cm, usually subtended by a 1-3 fo-liolate gland, with (1-)2-5(-6) ascending, horizontal or deflexed flowers .8-1.5 cm. Calyx tube 3-3.5 mm; teeth 1.5-2.5 mm. Corolla yellow or bronzed; standard panduriform; wings commonly > standard. Stamens of alternating lengths. Ovary with 15-18 ovules; style confluent in outline, defined by a transverse line and green color; stigma penicillate. Legumes spreading, corniculate or deflexed, oblong, usually straight, 2.5-3.5 cm x 3 mm, dehiscent; valves coriaceous, slightly strigulose or glabrous. Seeds few. Simpeteria.

  • Discussion

    L. nummularius auct. pro parte. L. oroboides auct. pro parte. In typical condition, Lotus utahensis is recognized by its stiffly erect or ascending habit, sessile, palmately foliolate leaves, and usually 2-4 flowered umbels. But it seemingly passes into L. oroboides var nummularius, and the identity of some populations is conjectural.

  • Distribution

    Sw Utah and barely into Arizona and Nevada. Frequent with sagebrush-juniper, upwards to spruce and aspen woodlands. Ca. 5000-9500 ft. (April-) May-June (-Aug.).

    United States of America North America|