Lotus (genus)

This article is about the plant genus. For other plants called "lotus", see List of plants known as lotus. For other uses, see Lotus.

Lotus
bird's-foot trefoil
Lotus corniculatus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Subfamily: Faboideae
Clade: Robinioids
Tribe: Loteae
Genus: Lotus
L.
Type species
Lotus corniculatus
L.
Species

Between 70–150; see text

Synonyms[1]
List
  • Andaca Raf.
  • Benedictella Maire
  • Bonjeanea Rchb.
  • Dorycnium Mill.
  • Flundula Raf.
  • Heinekenia Webb ex Christ
  • Krokeria Moench
  • Lotea Medik.
  • Lotulus Raf.
  • Miediega Bubani
  • Mullaghera Bubani
  • Ortholotus Fourr.
  • Pedrosia Lowe
  • Scandalida Adans.
  • Tetragonolobus Scop.

Lotus, a latinization of Greek lōtos (λωτός),[2] is a genus of flowering plants that includes most bird's-foot trefoils (also known as bacon-and-eggs[3]) and deervetches[4] and contains many dozens of species distributed in the eastern hemisphere, including Africa, Europe, western, southern, and eastern Asia, and Australia and New Guinea.[1] Depending on the taxonomic authority, roughly between 70 and 150 are accepted. Lotus is a genus of legumes and its members are adapted to a wide range of habitats, from coastal environments to high elevations.

The genus Lotus is currently undergoing extensive taxonomic revision. Species native to the Americas have been moved into other genera, such as Acmispon and Hosackia, as in the second edition of The Jepson Manual.

The aquatic plant commonly known as the Indian or sacred lotus is Nelumbo nucifera, a species not closely related to Lotus.

  1. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference powo was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ "lotus, n.", Oxford English Dictionary, Oxford: Oxford University Press.
  3. ^ Collins English Dictionary
  4. ^ See Acmispon