Lotus australis Andrews

Common Name and Taxonomy

Lotus australis, commonly called austral trefoil, is a small spreading herb in the Fabaceae family.

Native Range and Size

Native to Australia, it typically reaches 30 to 50 centimeters in height.

Leaf Characteristics

Its small leaves are trifoliate in shape and light green in colour.

Flowering Details

In spring, the plant produces abundant, striking displays of white pea-shaped flowers.

Fruit Development

These flowers are replaced by stiff, tubular bean pods in summer.

Seed Dispersal Mechanism

When the pods dry out, they explode to release numerous small, black legume seeds.

Propagation Method

Austral trefoil can be easily propagated from these seeds by soaking them in hot water overnight before sowing.

Germination Trigger

This treatment mimics the heat of a bushfire, a natural factor that triggers germination in wild populations.

Chemical Composition

Lotus australis is one of only a few plant species where the cyanogenic glucoside lotaustralin naturally occurs.