Lotus (genus)
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Zorrobot
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robot Modifying: [[lt:Garždenis]]
:''See [[Lotus]] for other uses, including several other plant taxa bearing this name.''
{{Taxobox
| name = ''Lotus''
| image = Lotus formosissima 2.jpg
| image_width = 220px
| image_caption = [[Seaside Bird's-foot Trefoil]]<br/>''[[Lotus formosissima]]''
| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
| divisio = [[Magnoliophyta]]
| classis = [[Magnoliopsida]]
| subclassis = [[Rosidae]]
| unranked_ordo = [[Eurosids I]]
| ordo = [[Fabales]]
| familia = [[Fabaceae]]
| subfamilia = [[Faboideae]]
| tribus = [[Loteae]]
| genus = '''''Lotus'''''
| subdivision_ranks = [[Species]]
| subdivision =
Between 70-150; see text
| synonyms =
''Syrmatium''{{Verify source|date=October 2007}}
}}
'''''Lotus''''' is a [[genus]] that includes '''bird's-foot trefoils''' and '''deervetches''' and contains many dozens of [[species]] distributed world-wide. Depending on the [[taxonomic]] authority, roughly between 70 and 150 are accepted. ''Lotus'' is a genus of [[legume]] and its members are adapted to a wide range of habitats, from coastal environments to high altitudes. Most species have [[leaf|leaves]] with three leaflets, but also two large [[stipule]]s at the base roughly equal in size to the leaflets, thus appearing to have ''five'' leaflets; some species have pinnate leaves with up to 15 leaflets. The [[flower]]s are in clusters of 3-10 together at the apex of a stem with some basal leafy [[bract]]s, [[pea]]-flower shaped, vivid yellow or orange, occasionally red.
===Uses and ecology===
[[Image:Lotuscorniculatus.jpg|thumb|left|[[Pasture]] with ''[[Lotus corniculatus]]'' (Common Bird's-foot Trefoil, Birdsfoot deervetch)]]
''Lotus'' species are used as food plants by the [[larva]]e of some [[Lepidoptera]] species. See [[list of Lepidoptera that feed on Lotus]]. Several species are culvivated for [[Fodder|forage]], including ''[[Lotus corniculatus|L. corniculatus]]'', ''[[Lotus glaber|L. glaber]]'' and ''[[Lotus uliginosus|L. uliginosus]]''. They can produce toxic [[cyanide|cyanogenic glycoside]]s which can be potentially toxic to [[livestock]], but also produce [[tannin]]s, which are a beneficial anti-[[bloat]]ing compound.
This genus can fix [[nitrogen]] from the air courtesy of their [[root nodule]]s, making it useful as a [[cover crop]]. The nodulating [[symbiont]]s are ''[[Bradyrhizobium]]'' bacteria. Scientific research for crop improvement and understanding the general biology of the genus is focused on ''[[Lotus japonicus]]'' which is currently the subject of a full [[genome sequencing]] project, and is considered a [[model organism]].
Some species, such as ''[[Lotus berthelotii|L. berthelotii]]'' from the [[Canary Islands]], are grown as ornamental plants. ''[[Lotus corniculatus|L. corniculatus]]'' is an [[invasive species]] in some regions of [[North America]] and [[Australia]].
==Selected species==
[[Image:Lotus aduncus.JPG|thumb|right|''[[Lotus aduncus]]'']]
[[Image:Lotus alpinus01.jpg|thumb|right|''[[Lotus alpinus]]'']]
[[Image:Lotus maculatus.jpg|thumb|right|''[[Lotus maculatus]]'']]
*''[[Lotus aboriginus]]'' – [[Rosy Bird's-foot Trefoil]]
*''[[Lotus aduncus]]''
*''[[Lotus alamosanus]]'' – [[Sonora Bird's-foot Trefoil]]
*''[[Lotus alpinus]]''
*''[[Lotus angustissimus]]'' – [[Slender Bird's-foot Trefoil]]
*''[[Lotus argophyllus]]'' – [[Silver Bird's-foot Trefoil]]
*''[[Lotus argyraeus]]'' – [[Canyon Bird's-foot Trefoil]]
*''[[Lotus benthamii]]'' – [[Bentham's Deervetch]]
*''[[Lotus berthelotii]]'' – Canary Islands Trefoil
*''[[Lotus cedrosensis]]''
*''[[Lotus corniculatus]]'' – Common Bird's-foot Trefoil, Bird's-foot Deervetch
*''[[Lotus crassifolius]]'' – Big Deervetch, Broad-leaved Bird's-foot Trefoil
*''[[Lotus creticus]]''
*''[[Lotus dendroideus]]'' – [[Island Deervetch]]
*''[[Lotus denticulatus]]'' – [[Riverbar Bird's-foot Trefoil]], [[Meadow Bird's-foot Trefoil]]
*''[[Lotus formosissimus]]'' – [[Seaside Bird's-foot Trefoil]]
*''[[Lotus glaber]]'' – Narrow-leaved Bird's-foot Trefoil, Slender Trefoil, Creeping Trefoil, Prostrate Trefoil; formerly ''L. tenuis''
*''[[Lotus grandiflorus]]'' – [[Chaparral Bird's-foot Trefoil]]
*''[[Lotus greenei]]'' – [[Greene's Bird's-foot Trefoil]]
*''[[Lotus hamatus]]'' – [[San Diego Bird's-foot Trefoil]]
*''[[Lotus haydonii]]'' – [[Rock Bird's-foot Trefoil]]
*''[[Lotus heermannii]]'' – [[Heermann's Bird's-foot Trefoil]]
*''[[Lotus humistratus]]'' – [[Foothill Deervetch]]
*''[[Lotus incanus]]'' – [[Woolly Bird's-foot Trefoil]]
*''[[Lotus intricatus]]'' – [[Arid Bird's-foot Trefoil]]
*''[[Lotus jacobaeus]]''
*''[[Lotus japonicus]]''
*''[[Lotus junceus]]'' – [[Rush Deervetch]]
*''[[Lotus maculatus]]''
*''[[Lotus maritimus]]''
*''[[Lotus mearnsii]]'' – [[Mearns' Bird's-foot Trefoil]]
*''[[Lotus micranthus]]'' – [[Desert Deervetch]]
*''[[Lotus mollis]]''
*''[[Lotus nevadensis]]'' – [[Nevada Bird's-foot Trefoil]]
*''[[Lotus nuttallianus]]'' – [[Wire Bird's-foot Trefoil]]
*''[[Lotus oblongifolius]]'' – [[Streambank Bird's-foot Trefoil]]
*''[[Lotus ononopsis]]''
*''[[Lotus ornithopoides]]''
*''[[Lotus palustris]]''
*''[[Lotus parviflorus]]'' – [[Smallflower Bird's-foot Trefoil]], [[Smallflower Trefoil]]
*''[[Lotus pinnatus]]'' – [[Meadow Bird's-foot Trefoil]], [[Bog Bird's-foot Trefoil]]
*''[[Lotus plebeius]]'' – [[New Mexico Bird's-foot Trefoil]]
*''[[Lotus procumbens]]'' – [[Silky Deerweed]]
*''[[Lotus rigidus]]'' – Desert Rock Pea, Shrubby Deervetch
*''[[Lotus rubriflorus]]'' – [[Redflower Bird's-foot Trefoil]]
*''[[Lotus salsuginosus]]'' – [[Coastal Bird's-foot Trefoil]]
*''[[Lotus scoparius]]'' – Common Deerweed, Common Deervetch, California Broom, Western Bird's-foot Trefoil
*''[[Lotus sessilifolius]]''
*''[[Lotus stipularis]]'' – [[Balsam Bird's-foot Trefoil]]
*''[[Lotus strigosus]]'' – [[Strigose Bird's-foot Trefoil]]
*''[[Lotus subbiflorus]]'' – [[Hairy Bird's-foot Trefoil]]; formerly ''L. hispidus''{{Verify source|date=October 2007}}, ''L. suaveolens''
*''[[Lotus tetragonolobus]]'' – [[Winged Bird's-foot Trefoil]]
*''[[Lotus unifoliolatus]]'' – [[American Bird's-foot Trefoil]]
*''[[Lotus uliginosus]]'' – Greater Bird's-foot Trefoil, Large Bird's-foot Trefoil, Big Trefoil; formerly ''L. pedunculatus''
*''[[Lotus utahensis]]'' – [[Utah Bird's-foot Trefoil]]
*''[[Lotus wrangelianus]]'' – [[Chilean Bird's-foot Trefoil]]
*''[[Lotus wrightii]]'' – [[Wright's Deervetch]]
*''[[Lotus yollabolliensis]]'' – [[Yolla Bolly Bird's-foot Trefoil]]
== External links ==
{{commonscat|Lotus (Faboideae)}}
* [http://www.plantnames.unimelb.edu.au/Sorting/Lotus.html Lotus species names]
[[Category:Faboideae]]
[[da:Kællingetand-slægten]]
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[[es:Lotus (género)]]
[[fr:Lotier]]
[[he:לוטוס]]
[[ka:კურდღლისფრჩხილა]]
[[lt:Garždenis]]
[[nl:Rolklaver]]
[[no:Tiriltunger]]
[[pl:Komonica]]
[[pt:Lotus (género)]]
[[sv:Käringtänder]]