Hosackia rosea, synonym Lotus aboriginus, is a species of legume native to North America.[1] It is known by the common names rosy bird's-foot trefoil and thicket trefoil. It grows in mountains and canyons, often in moist areas. It is a perennial herb lined with leaves each made up of pairs of oval leaflike leaflets 1 to 3 cm long. The inflorescence is a spray of six to 10 white or pink flowers each about 1 cm long. The flower is somewhat tubular, encased at the base in a calyx of sepals and lobed at the mouth. The fruit is a hairless elongated legume pod 3–5 cm long.

Hosackia rosea
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Subfamily: Faboideae
Genus: Hosackia
Species:
H. rosea
Binomial name
Hosackia rosea
Eastw.[1]
Synonyms[1]
  • Lotus aboriginus Jeps.
  • Lotus crassifolius var. subglaber (Ottley) C.L.Hitchc.
  • Lotus stipularis var. subglaber Ottley

It is believed that Hosackia rosea could be a potential host plant for the caterpillars of the critically endangered lotis blue butterfly (syn. Lycaeides idas lotis, Lycaeides argyrognomon lotis, Plebejus anna lotis).[2]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Hosackia rosea Eastw.", Plants of the World Online, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, retrieved 2018-02-05
  2. ^ U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. "Lotis blue butterfly (Lycaeides argyrognomon lotis) 5-Year Review" (PDF). Retrieved 2022-01-14.
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