Fabaceae

Lotus micranthus

Small-Flowered Lotus

Stems thin, sprawling to erect. Leaves with 3 or 5 stalkless oval leaflets often covered with white waxy powder. Flower stalk long, with 3 leaf-like bracts near top; single pea flower very pale yellow, salmon, or pink, does not always fully open. Flower fades quickly; long bean-like seedpod follows. Abundant along coast, continues into open and disturbed sites in oak and fir woodlands at low to mid-elevations.

• Rarity: Locally Common
• Flowering Time: Late Spring
• Life Cycle: Annual
• Height: 4--10 inches
• Habitat: Coastal, West-Side Forest, Disturbed
• Found In: Olympic Np, Mt. Rainier Np, Siskiyous, West Gorge, N Cascades Np
• Native: Yes