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Lotus creticus
Also called Cretan Bird's Foot Trefoil, Cretan Trefoil
Lotus creticus is a species of perennial herb of the family Fabaceae found in tropical Africa. It is symbiosis-competent and engages in nitrogen-fixing symbiotic interactions with species of the Ensifer genus[3][3]. It comprises three varieties found in the Mediterranean. There is some controversy as to whether each subgroup could be considered the same species but are classically described as being subgroups. Varieties consist of the most commonly cited silky-hairy var. creticus, which is widely distributed in its western part of the coast; the non-silky var. glabrescens, which has a western Mediterranean distribution; and the eastern Mediterranean var. collinus, which is also not silky and can be described by long petioles and peduncles.
Lotus creticus is native to the Spanish Mediterranean coast. It can be found in a wide range of habitats ranging from sandy to heavy saline soils and from sea level to high altitudes.
Lotus aduncus · Lotus aegaeus · Lotus alianus · Alpine Bird's Foot Trefoil · Lotus anfractuosus · Slender bird's-foot trefoil · Lotus arabicus · Lotus arenarius · Lotus argyrodes · Lotus arinagensis · Lotus assakensis · Australian Trefoil
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Lotus creticus by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts are shared under the same licence.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
