72 WILD FLOWERS OF THE BRITISH ISLES 
the midrib into from 9-15 pairs of oblong, hairy leaflets, with one terminal one (imparipinnate) ; 
and the stipules lance-shaped. 
Rare, local. Mountain pastures in Scotland. June — July. Perennial. 
Yellow Mountain Oxytropis. (Oxytropis eampestris, DC.)— A very similar plant, 
but larger and less hairy, the flowers pale yellow tinged with purple, and the pod less completely 
2-celled. 
Very rare. Only found on the Clova Mountains. June — July. Perennial. 
BIRD’S FOOT. (ORNITHOPUS, LINN.) — Flowers small, pink, white, or yellow, few, all 
starting from the same point on a long stalk (umbel). Calyx tubular, terminating in 5 equal 
teeth ; corolla of 5 petals, butterfly-shaped (papilionaceous); stamens 10, 9 united, and the upper 
one free (diadelphous) ; carpel 1. Pod long, slender, slightly flattened, curved, breaking, when 
ripe, into numerous 1 -seeded joints. Small annuals with leaves divided to the midrib into 
numerous pairs of distinct leaflets and 1 terminal one (imparipinnate), and with very small 
stipules. 
Common Bird’s-foot. (Ornithopus perpusillus, Linn.)— As just described. The 
flowers ^ inch long, in 3-7-flowered clusters, with a leaf-like bract deeply divided to the midrib 
(pinnate) immediately beneath each cluster ; the calyx hairy and the teeth short and triangular ; 
the corolla with an orange keel, white wings, and standard veined with crimson ; the pods 
inch long, flattened, and 5-9 jointed. The stems 6-T2 inches long, hairy, prostrate, numerous ; and 
the leaves divided to the midrib into 7-12 pairs of leaflets and one terminal one (imparipinnate), 
all oblong or oval. \Plate 35. 
Fairly common. Sandy heaths, dry commons, and roadsides. May — July. Annual. 
Sand Bird’s-foot, or Joint-vetch. (Ornithopus ebracteatus, Brot.)— A species 
with larger, yellower flowers, without a bract ; and rounder pods, curving upwards into a bow and 
ending in a claw. The whole plant hairless. 
Very rare. Scilly and the Channel Isles. July — August. Annual. 
HORSESHOE VETCH. (HIPPOCREPIS, LINN.) — Flowers yellow, in long-stalked clusters, 
each cluster consisting of a number of shortly-stalked flowers all starting from the same point on 
the main flowering stem (umbels). Calyx bell-shaped, with 5 equal teeth ; corolla of 5 petals, 
butterfly-shaped (papilionaceous), long-clawed ; stamens 10, 9 united, the upper one free (diadelph- 
ous) ; carpel 1. Pods long, flattened, composed of from 3-6 i-seeded horseshoe-shaped joints. 
Herbs or undershrubs with leaves divided to the midrib into numerous pairs of leaflets, with 1 
terminal one (imparipinnate). 
Tufted Horseshoe-vetch. (Hippocrepis comosa, Linn.) — The only British species (as 
just described). The flowers f-J inch long, pale yellow, 5-10 in a cluster (umbels), easily mistaken 
for the Common Bird’s-foot Trefoil (Lotus corniculatus) until the pods and leaves are examined. 
The pods about 1 inch long ending in a fine point, and consisting of a series of crescent- or horse- 
shoe-shaped, 1 -seeded joints. The stems 6-18 inches long, numerous, prostrate, much branched; 
and the leaves divided to the midrib into 4-7 pairs of oblong, inversely egg-shaped (obovate) or 
narrow leaflets, with 1 terminal one (imparipinnate). 
Not common, local. Chalky banks in the south of England. May — August. Perennial. 
SAINFOIN. (ONOBRYCHIS, LINN.) — Flowers red or white in showy, long-stalked spikes. 
Calyx bell-shaped, with 5 long, pointed, equal teeth ; corolla of 5 petals, butterfly-shaped (papilion- 
aceous) ; stamens 10, 9 united, and the upper one free (diadelphous); carpel 1. Pod short, 
