Lotus strigosus (Nutt.) E. Greene   =Hosackia strigosa   Fabaceae (Pea Family)                               Native                            Strigose Lotus                            Strigose Hosackia

                                        February Photo

Plant Characteristics:  Slender-stemmed, decumbent to ascending annual, the branches to 3 dm. long; herbage strigose; lvs. 1-2.5 cm. long with flattened rachis; lfts. 6-10, linear-oblong to elliptic, 5-12 mm. long, lowest nearly at juncture petiole with stem and one-half the length of terminal one; lower peduncles 1 fld., upper 2-3 fld.; wings conspicuously longer than keel; styles hairy at the base of the stigma; bract 0 or 1-3 foliate; calyx tube ca. 2 mm. long, the teeth subulate, almost as long; corolla mostly 6-10 mm. long, yellow turning reddish; pods 2-3 cm. long, 2-3 mm. wide, strigose; seeds quadrate, irregularly rugose, ca. 1 mm. long.

Habitat:  Common in dry disturbed places below 5000 ft.; many Plant Communities; cismontane from L. Calif. to cent. Calif. and inland to edge of deserts.  March-June.

Name:  Lotos, ancient Greek name and New Latin, strigose, beset with appressed stiff hairs.  (Jaeger 144,250). 

General:  Occasional in the study area, found  in the burn area near Eastbluff and on the small bench northerly from 23rd St.; photographed both of these places.  In 1991 I found several specimens of this plant in the canyon northerly of the Newporter Inn.  The canyon burned in the summer of 1990 and this may have allowed old seeds to germinate.  In 1992 the species was found on the bluff top between the above canyon and San Joaquin Hills Rd.  In 1995 the species was found in Santa Ana Heights near where the extension of Mesa Dr. intersects the horse and bike path. (my comments).     Perhaps 50 species of all continents; but mostly of Northern Hemisphere.  (Munz, Flora So. Calif. 444).       Conspicuous in spring.  (Hickman, Ed. 622).

Text Ref:  Abrams, Vol. I 543; Jepson 551; Hickman, Ed. 622; Munz, Flora So. Calif. 450; Roberts 24.

Photo Ref:  Mar 3 85 # 17; Feb 88 # 21A,22A; Mar-April 95 # 29.

Identity: by F. Roberts.

Computer Ref:  Plant Data 102.

Have plant specimen.

Last edit 1/17/03

                                             March Photo