The Lotus cytisoides, also known as the birdsfoot trefoil, has spread in the rocky coasts of the Mediterranean basin. And a perennial herbaceous plant typical of coastal areas. This small creeping leguminous plant grows in the regions of central and southern Italy. In the Province of Salerno it is easy to find along the coast from Positano to Sapri. It belongs to the family Leguminosae, which belongs to the order Rosales including a large number of genera and species. They are represented herbaceous species, including some vines that cling to the supports by means of tendrils, and woody.
The grey birdsfoot foil is a creeping plant, with reddish stems and large leaves in the most distal part and slightly bent at the centre, which begins to bloom in the spring and to quickly produce pods in which they develop the seeds. Both the leaves and the stems are able to accumulate liquids to cope with periods of intense drought. The flowers are quite showy, bright yellow, and are carried at the apex of the branches, which usually rise slightly off the ground. They are generally grouped into groups of three or more flowers.
Numerous thin branches develop from the woody base forming dense cushions of leaves and flowers. The fruit is a dark-coloured, thin, cylindrical, and up to six centimetres legume.
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Notes
Giornale botanico italiano, Consiglio nazionale delle ricerche, volume 130