The BioFiles - Bill Hubick

Heermann's Lotus (Acmispon heermannii)

Source: Wikipedia

Acmispon tomentosus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Subfamily: Faboideae
Genus: Acmispon
Species:
A. tomentosus
Binomial name
Acmispon tomentosus
(Hook. & Arn.) Govaerts[1]
Varieties

See text.

Synonyms[1]
  • Hosackia tomentosa Hook. & Arn.
  • Lotus eriophorus Greene
  • Lotus heermannii var. eriophorus (Greene) Ottley
  • Lotus tomentosus (Hook. & Arn.) Greene, nom. illeg.
  • Syrmatium eriophorum (Greene) A.Heller
  • Syrmatium tomentosum (Hook. & Arn.) Vogel

Acmispon tomentosus is a perennial plant in the family Fabaceae in the genus Acmispon. It is native to California and northwestern Mexico.[1][2] The variety A. tomentosus var. glabriusculus has the synonym Acmispon heermannii.

Description

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The species is identified by small oval hairy succulent leaves. the flower buds are burgundy red and the flowers are yellow, looking much like a small version of a Lotus pedunculatus flower head.[2]

Sometimes this species occurs as an annual plant if it is growing in certain conditions.[3]

Taxonomy

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The species was first described by William Jackson Hooker and George A. Walker Arnott in 1832 as Hosackia tomentosa. It was moved to the genus Acmispon in 2018.[4]

Varieties

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As of October 2024, Plants of the World Online accepted two varieties:[1]

  • Acmispon tomentosus var. glabriusculus (Hook. & Arn.) Govaerts
  • Acmispon tomentosus var. tomentosus

A. tomentosus var. glabriusculus has the synonym Acmispon heermannii, and has been known by the common name Heermann's bird's-foot trefoil.[5] As of October 2024, Plants of the World Online and the Jepson eFlora accept this variety rather than the species A. heermannii.[6]

A. tomentosus var. tomentosus is generally identified by having less red in its buds and more hairy leaves.[7]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Acmispon tomentosus (Hook. & Arn.) Govaerts". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 2024-10-24.
  2. ^ a b "Acmispon tomentosus Calflora". www.calflora.org. Retrieved 2024-08-08.
  3. ^ "Acmispon tomentosus". ucjeps.berkeley.edu. Retrieved 2024-08-08.
  4. ^ "Acmispon tomentosus (Hook. & Arn.) Govaerts". The International Plant Names Index. Retrieved 2024-10-24.
  5. ^ USDA, NRCS (n.d.). "Lotus heermannii (Durand & Hilg.) Greene​". The PLANTS Database (plants.usda.gov). Greensboro, North Carolina: National Plant Data Team. Retrieved 2024-10-24.
  6. ^ "Acmispon tomentosus var. glabriusculus". Jepson eFlora. The Jepson Herbarium. Retrieved 2024-10-24.
  7. ^ "Acmispon tomentosus var. tomentosus". Calflora. Retrieved 2024-08-08.