Lotus subbiflorus

Lotus subbiflorus, sometimes called hairy bird's-foot trefoil, is a small annual or short-lived perennial herb in the legume family (Fabaceae) native to western Europe and the Mediterranean basin and naturalized in parts of South America and Australasia, where it is used as a forage species. Plants form a sprawling to ascending habit 10-40 cm long, with slender stems that are densely covered in long, soft, spreading hairs giving a silky-pubescent appearance. The leaves are alternate and pinnate but appear trifoliate because the lower two leaflets are positioned at the base like stipules; the three to five small leaflets are obovate, 4-10 mm long, and densely hairy on both surfaces. Inflorescences are typically two-flowered (occasionally one or three flowered, giving the epithet 'subbiflorus') axillary umbels on slender peduncles longer than the leaves. The flowers are 5-8 mm long, papilionaceous, yellow often tinged with red or orange. Pods are slender, cylindrical, straight, 1-2 cm long, splitting into two twisted valves.