Taxon:  Lotus tenuis Waldst. & Kit. ex Willd.



Summary
Genus:
Lotus
Family:
Fabaceae (alt. Leguminosae)
Subfamily:
Faboideae
Tribe:
Loteae
Nomen number:
22744
Place of publication:
Enum. pl. 2:797.  1809
Verified:
11/04/2006 ARS Systematic Botanists.
Accessions:
76 (63  active, 61  available) in National Plant Germplasm System.  (Map it)
Other conspecific taxa
Autonyms (not in current use), synonyms and invalid designations
Heterotypic Synonym(s)
Lotus corniculatus L. var. tenuifolius L.
Lotus decumbens T. F. Forst.
Lotus glaber Mill.
Lotus macbridei A. Nelson
Lotus tenuifolius (L.) C. Presl

Images (2 total. Click on image for more.)
Seed

Conservation Status

Reference(s)
  1. University of Georgia Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health
  2. Afonin, A. N., S. L. Greene, N. I. Dzyubenko, & A. N. Frolov, eds. Interactive agricultural ecological atlas of Russia and neighboring countries. Economic plants and their diseases, pests and weeds (on-line resource).
  3. Ali, S. I. & S. M. H. Jafri, eds. 1976-. Flora of Libya. Note: = Lotus corniculatus L.
  4. Botanical Society of the British Isles. BSBI taxon database (on-line resource).
  5. Brummitt, R. K. 2005. Report of the Committee for Spermatophyta: 57. Taxon 54:1094. Note: proposal to reject Lotus glaber Mill. recommended
  6. Chrtková-Žertová, A. 1972. Studien über die tschechoslowakischen Arten der Gattung Lotus L. V. Lotus tenuis Waldst. et Kit. ex Willd. Preslia 44:131-139.
  7. Cronquist, A. et al. 1972-. Intermountain flora.
  8. Davis, P. H., ed. 1965-1988. Flora of Turkey and the east Aegean islands. Note: lists as Lotus tenuis Kit. ex Willd. (= L. corniculatus var. tenuifolius L.)
  9. Duke, J. A. 1981. Handbook of legumes of world economic importance
  10. Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
  11. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). 2010. Ecocrop (on-line resource).
  12. Grant, W. F. & E. Small. 1996. The origin of the Lotus corniculatus (Fabaceae) complex: a synthesis of diverse evidence. Canad. J. Bot. 74:975-989. Note: as a probable female progenitor of Lotus corniculatus
  13. Isely, D. 1981. Leguminosae of the United States. III. Subfamily Papilionoideae: tribes Sophoreae, Podalyrieae, and Loteae. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 25(3):198.
  14. Iwatsuki, K. et al. 1993-. Flora of Japan.
  15. Jeelani, S. M. et al. 2011. IAPT/IOPB data 12. Taxon 60:1788. Note: it reported tetraploidy (n=12) as Lotus corniculatus var. tenuifolius
  16. Kartesz, J. T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. Note: = Lotus glaber Mill.
  17. Kirkbride, J. H., Jr. 1995. (1165) Proposal to reject the name Lotus glaber Mill. (Leguminosae). Taxon 44:423-424.
  18. Kirkbride, J. H., Jr. 1999. Lotus systematics and distribution. Special Publ. Crop Sci. Soc. Amer. 28:11. Note: = Lotus glaber Mill.
  19. Kirkbride, J. H., Jr. 2006. The scientific name of narrow-leaf trefoil. Crop Sci. (Madison) 46:2169-2170.
  20. Kramina, T. E. et al. 2016. Phylogeny of Lotus (Leguminosae: Loteae): partial incongruence between nrITS, nrETS and plastid markers and biogeographic implications. Taxon 65:997-1018. Note: a member of the "/Lotus corniculatus Clade"
  21. Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist Note: = Lotus glaber Mill.
  22. Markle, G. M. et al., eds. 1998. Food and feed crops of the United States, ed. 2
  23. Mouterde, P. 1966-. Nouvelle flore du Liban et de la Syrie.
  24. Nasir, E. & S. I. Ali, eds. 1970-. Flora of [West] Pakistan. Note: = Lotus corniculatus var. tenuifolius L.
  25. Negri, V. & F. Veronesi. 1989. Evidence for the existence of 2n gametes in Lotus tenuis Wald. et Kit. (2n=2x=12): their relevance in evolution and breeding of Lotus corniculatus L. (2n=4x=24). Theor. Appl. Genet. 78:400-404. Note: 24 crosses involved tetraploid, male sterile Lotus corniculatus with diploid L. tenuis
  26. Pignatti, S. 1982. Flora d'Italia.
  27. Porcher, M. H. et al. Searchable World Wide Web Multilingual Multiscript Plant Name Database (MMPND) (on-line resource).
  28. Rechinger, K. H., ed. 1963-. Flora iranica.
  29. Smythies, B. E. 1984-1986. Flora of Spain and the Balearic Islands: checklist of vascular plants. Englera 3:1-882.
  30. Takhtajan, A. L., ed. 1954-1987. Flora Armenii.
  31. Townsend, C. C. & E. Guest. 1966-. Flora of Iraq. Note: = Lotus corniculatus var. tenuifolius L.
  32. Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
  33. Vignolio, O. R. et al. 2016. Reproductive developments of Lotus tenuis (Fabaceae) crop defoliated at different times and intensities. Amer. J. Pl. Sci. 7:1180-1191.
  34. Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
  35. Zohary, M. & N. Feinbrun-Dothan. 1966-. Flora palaestina.
Common names
LanguageNameAlternate namenoteseqCitation
Englishnarrow-leaf bird's-foot trefoil  1Botanical Society of the British Isles. BSBI taxon database (on-line resource).
Englishnarrow-leaf trefoil  1Wiersema, J. H. & B. León. 1999. World economic plants: a standard reference CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL.
Englishslender trefoil  1Markle, G. M. et al., eds. 1998. Food and feed crops of the United States, ed. 2
Japanese Rōmajiwatari-miyakogusa  2Iwatsuki, K. et al. 1993-. Flora of Japan.
Transcribed Chinesexi ye bai mai gen  2Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
Transliterated Russianlâdvenec tonkij  2Takhtajan, A. L., ed. 1954-1987. Flora Armenii.
Distribution
order_codeStatusContinentSubcontinentCountryStateNoteReference
1NativeAfricaNorthern AfricaEgypt  Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist Note: = Lotus glaber Mill.
1NativeAfricaNorthern AfricaLibya n.Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist Note: = Lotus glaber Mill.
1NativeAfricaNorthern AfricaMorocco  Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist Note: = Lotus glaber Mill.
1NativeAsia-TemperateCaucasusAzerbaijan   
1NativeAsia-TemperateMiddle AsiaKazakhstan   
1NativeAsia-TemperateMiddle AsiaKyrgyzstan   
1NativeAsia-TemperateMiddle AsiaTajikistan   
1NativeAsia-TemperateMiddle AsiaTurkmenistan   
1NativeAsia-TemperateMiddle AsiaUzbekistan   
1NativeAsia-TemperateMongoliaMongolia   
1NativeAsia-TemperateSiberiaRussian FederationAltay  
1NativeAsia-TemperateSiberiaRussian FederationGorno-Altay  
1NativeAsia-TemperateSiberiaRussian FederationHakasija, Respublika  
1NativeAsia-TemperateSiberiaRussian FederationKrasnoyarsk  
1NativeAsia-TemperateSiberiaRussian FederationNovosibirsk  
1NativeAsia-TemperateSiberiaRussian FederationOmsk  
1NativeAsia-TemperateSiberiaRussian FederationTyva, Respublika  
1NativeAsia-TemperateWestern AsiaAfghanistan  Rechinger, K. H., ed. 1963-. Flora iranica.
1NativeAsia-TemperateWestern AsiaIran  Rechinger, K. H., ed. 1963-. Flora iranica.
1NativeAsia-TemperateWestern AsiaIraq  Townsend, C. C. & E. Guest. 1966-. Flora of Iraq. Note: = Lotus corniculatus var. tenuifolius L.
1NativeAsia-TemperateWestern AsiaIsrael  Zohary, M. & N. Feinbrun-Dothan. 1966-. Flora palaestina.
1NativeAsia-TemperateWestern AsiaLebanon  Mouterde, P. 1966-. Nouvelle flore du Liban et de la Syrie.
1NativeAsia-TemperateWestern AsiaSyria  Mouterde, P. 1966-. Nouvelle flore du Liban et de la Syrie.
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentPakistan  Nasir, E. & S. I. Ali, eds. 1970-. Flora of [West] Pakistan. Note: = Lotus corniculatus var. tenuifolius L.
1NativeEuropeEastern EuropeMoldova   
1NativeEuropeEastern EuropeRussian FederationKalmykija, Respublika  
1NativeEuropeEastern EuropeRussian FederationVolgogradskaja oblast'  
1NativeEuropeEastern EuropeUkraine incl. KrymEuro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1NativeEuropeMiddle EuropeAustria  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1NativeEuropeMiddle EuropeBelgium  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1NativeEuropeMiddle EuropeCzechoslovakia  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1NativeEuropeMiddle EuropeGermany  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1NativeEuropeMiddle EuropeHungary  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1NativeEuropeMiddle EuropeNetherlands  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1NativeEuropeMiddle EuropePoland  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1NativeEuropeMiddle EuropeSwitzerland  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1NativeEuropeNorthern EuropeDenmark  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1NativeEuropeNorthern EuropeSweden  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1NativeEuropeNorthern EuropeUnited Kingdom  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1NativeEuropeSoutheastern EuropeAlbania  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1NativeEuropeSoutheastern EuropeBulgaria  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1NativeEuropeSoutheastern EuropeFormer Yugoslavia  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1NativeEuropeSoutheastern EuropeGreece incl. CreteTutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1NativeEuropeSoutheastern EuropeItaly incl. Sardinia, SicilyTutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1NativeEuropeSoutheastern EuropeRomania  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1NativeEuropeSouthwestern EuropeFrance incl. CorsicaTutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1NativeEuropeSouthwestern EuropePortugal  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1NativeEuropeSouthwestern EuropeSpain incl. BalearesTutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
2Cultivated    also cult. 
4Naturalized    natzd. elsewhere 
Native
Africa
  • NORTHERN AFRICA: Egypt, Libya (n.), Morocco
Asia-Temperate
  • WESTERN ASIA: Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Lebanon, Syria
  • CAUCASUS: Azerbaijan
  • SIBERIA: Russian Federation [Altay, Gorno-Altay, Hakasija, Respublika, Krasnoyarsk, Novosibirsk, Omsk, Tyva, Respublika]
  • MIDDLE ASIA: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan
  • MONGOLIA: Mongolia
Asia-Tropical
  • INDIAN SUBCONTINENT: Pakistan
Europe
  • NORTHERN EUROPE: Denmark, United Kingdom, Sweden
  • MIDDLE EUROPE: Czechoslovakia, Austria, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, Hungary, Netherlands, Poland
  • EASTERN EUROPE: Moldova, Russian Federation [Kalmykija, Respublika, Volgogradskaja oblast'], Ukraine (incl. Krym)
  • SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE: Former Yugoslavia, Albania, Bulgaria, Greece (incl. Crete), Italy (incl. Sardinia, Sicily), Romania
  • SOUTHWESTERN EUROPE: Spain (incl. Baleares), France (incl. Corsica), Portugal
Cultivated (also cult.)
Naturalized (natzd. elsewhere)

Reference(s)
  1. Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
  2. Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist Note: = Lotus glaber Mill.
  3. Mouterde, P. 1966-. Nouvelle flore du Liban et de la Syrie.
  4. Nasir, E. & S. I. Ali, eds. 1970-. Flora of [West] Pakistan. Note: = Lotus corniculatus var. tenuifolius L.
  5. Rechinger, K. H., ed. 1963-. Flora iranica.
  6. Townsend, C. C. & E. Guest. 1966-. Flora of Iraq. Note: = Lotus corniculatus var. tenuifolius L.
  7. Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
  8. Zohary, M. & N. Feinbrun-Dothan. 1966-. Flora palaestina.
Economic Uses
UsageTypeNoteReference
Animal foodforagegrazingDuke, J. A. 1981. Handbook of legumes of world economic importance
Cite as: USDA, Agricultural Research Service, National Plant Germplasm System. 2026. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN Taxonomy). National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland.
URL: https://npgstest.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomydetail?id=22744. Accessed 12 May 2026.