Birds-foot Trefoil
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Lotus corniculatus
Common & widespread throughout Britain.
The leaves have five leaflets, but with the central three held conspicuously above the others, hence the use of the name 'trefoil'. There are no tendrils.
The flowers are in clusters on a longish stalk.
The five green sepals are fused into a tube around the base of the petals.
The 5 yellow petals form a shape typical of peas; the lower two are fused into a boat shape, the uppermost is erect and the remaining two are at the sides as wings.
The flowers bloom from June to September and develop into small pea-like pods or legumes.
Foodplant of the Dingy Skipper & Common Blue Butterflies.