70 
WILD FLOWERS OF THE BRITISH ISLES 
Lesser Yellow Clover. (Trifolium dubium, Sibth.) — Very similar to the Hop Clover 
( rrifolium procumbens), but altogether smaller, the flowers of a deeper yellow fading to dark 
brown, and only 4-20 in a longer-stalked head. [Plate 34. 
Very common. Dry fields, pastures, and waste places. June — August. Annual. 
Slender Yellow Clover. (Trifolium filiforme, Linn .) — A very similar species to the 
Lesser Yellow Clover (Trifolium dubium), but smaller, the flowers looser, 2-7 only, in shortly- 
stalked heads, and the leaves on shorter stalks, the centre one not stalked (palmately trifoliate). 
Not common. Dry pastures, commons, waste places. June — July. Annual. 
KIDNEY VETCH. (ANTHYLLIS, LINN.) — Flowers yellow, purple, or rose-colour, in crowded 
heads, with a bract deeply divided to the base directly beneath. Calyx inflated, 5-toothed ; corolla 
butterfly-shaped (papilionaceous), of 5 petals equal in length; stamens 10, the filaments all united 
into a complete sheath (monodelphous) ; carpel 1. Pod short and small, concealed in the calyx, 
1- 2-seeded. Herbs or under-shrubs with leaves divided to the midrib into distinct leaflets 
(pinnate). 
Lady’s Fingers, Kidney Vetch. (Anthyllis Vulneraria, Linn.)— The only British 
species (as just described). The flow'ers £ inch long, yellow to red, stalkless (sessile), the flower- 
heads growing in pairs at the end of each stalk like the two lobes of a kidney, each head being 
surrounded by a deeply divided bract ; the calyx very little shorter than the corolla, much inflated, 
hairy, yellowish; the stems 6-18 inches high, stiff; the leaves divided to the midrib into from 
2- 6 pairs of narrowly oval leaflets, and 1 terminal one (imparipinnate). [Plate 35. 
Fairly common. Dry banks and pastures. June — August. Perennial. 
BIRD’S-FOOT TREFOIL. (LOTUS, LINN.) — Flowers yellow or reddish, in clusters at the top 
of long stalks. Calyx much shorter than the corolla, bell-shaped, terminating in 5, narrow, 
nearly equal teeth; corolla of 5 petals, butterfly-shaped (papilionaceous); stamens xo, the 
filaments of 9 united together, the remaining 1 free (diadelphous) ; carpel 1. Fruit a long, 
tubular pod, many-seeded, longer than the calyx. Herbs or under-shrubs with leaves divided to 
the midrib into 5, rarely 4 leaflets (imparipinnate or pinnate), the lower pair taking the appearance 
and the place of stipules. 
Common Bird’s-foot Trefoil. (Lotus corniculatus, Linn.)— As just described. The 
flowers f-f inch long, deep yellow', often tinged with crimson, shortly-stalked, 3-10 in a cluster 
(umbel) at the top of long stalks, with a deeply 3-lobed bract directly under the cluster ; the calyx- 
teeth erect in bud, the two upper turning towards one another ; the pods about 1 inch long, 
several together, spreading out like the claw's of a bird. The stems 4-12 inches long; and the 
leaves on long stalks divided to the midrib into 2 pairs of egg-shaped (ovate), or inversely egg- 
shaped (obovate) leaflets, with 1 terminal one (imparipinnate). [Plate 35. 
Very common. Meadows, pastures, heaths. June — August. Perennial. 
Slender Bird’s-foot Trefoil. (Lotus tenuis, Waldst. & Kit.)— A very similar plant, 
with smaller and fewer flowers, slender, thread-like, more-branched stems, and very narrow leaflets. 
Rare. Damp clayey meadow's and w'aste places. June — August. Perennial. 
Greater Bird’s-foot Trefoil. (Lotus uliginosus, Schkuhr.) — A similar plant to the 
Common Bird’s-foot Trefoil (Lotus corniculatus), but larger. The flowers more numerous, 5-12 
together on very long stalks, yellow, the calyx-teeth spreading like a star in bud ; and the stems 
1-3 feet high, tubular, and weak. [Plate 35. 
Common. Moist meadows and bushy places. July — August. Perennial. 
