About Acmispon maritimus (Nutt.) D.D.Sokoloff
Acmispon maritimus, also known by the synonym Lotus salsuginosus, is a species of legume. It is native to Arizona, California, and northwestern Mexico, and its common name is coastal bird's-foot trefoil. Despite its common name, it does not necessarily grow near the coast, and can be found in many types of mountain, desert, and scrub habitats. It is an annual herb that is quite morphologically variable: plants range from petite to bushy, from hairless to roughly hairy, and grow in prostrate to erect forms. Slender stems bear leaves, each made up of pairs of leaflets that also vary in shape and size. The inflorescence is a small cluster holding 1 to 4 yellow flowers, each around one centimeter long. The elongated flower corolla emerges from a tubular calyx of sepals. After flowering, it produces a legume pod fruit that can reach up to 3 centimeters in length. This species grows in wildfire-prone habitats such as chaparral, and laboratory studies have found that its seeds have an increased germination rate after exposure to heat.
