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Lotus corniculatus

Lotus corniculatus

8.5
A low, long-lived plant with yellow flowers and claw-shaped seed pods used for farm animal feed
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : loto corniculatus
  • Farmers appreciate Lotus corniculatus for its palatability and as a nutritious forage for livestock.

Examples

  • The fields were covered in bright yellow blooms of Lotus corniculatus during the late spring.

  • Lotus corniculatus is often planted to improve soil fertility due to its nitrogen-fixing properties.

  • The Lotus corniculatus is often used in animal feed.

  • Farmers appreciate Lotus corniculatus for its drought resistance.

  • Lotus corniculatus provides excellent cover for the soil and is beneficial for local wildlife.

  • Many farmers grow Lotus corniculatus to enhance the quality of their pastures.

  • In spring, the bright yellow flowers of Lotus corniculatus attract various pollinators.

Synonyms

bird's foot trefoil
vsLotus corniculatus
7.4

A small plant with yellow flowers and seed pods like a bird's foot often grown for animals to eat

is the same species but emphasises pasture and ground cover use
bird's foot clover
vsLotus corniculatus
8.1

A small European plant with claw-shaped pods that farm animals eat

is native to Europe and valued for pasture and ground cover
bacon and eggs
vsLotus corniculatus
  • UK
9.9

A small European wild plant with bright yellow and orange flowers

is mainly grown for pasture and to cover bare ground
babies' slippers
vsLotus corniculatus
9.9

A European plant grown for animal food with claw-shaped seed pods

is a European perennial used for pasture and ground cover
yellow trefoil
vsLotus corniculatus
9.8

A low-growing plant with small yellow flowers and curved black seed pods

is a taller perennial with claw-shaped light-coloured pods for pasture

Surface Forms

Morphology

Lotus + corniculatus

This is a Latin binomial (genus + species) used as a technical botanical name; the species epithet 'corniculatus' is not an English word and is not transparent to a B1 learner. Knowing 'Lotus' alone does not allow a learner to infer the specific plant or its properties, so the meaning is non-compositional and unpredictable for typical learners.

Etymology

Lotus corniculatus comes from Latin names for the plant and its shape. The second word corniculatus means 'little horns' and paints the picture of the plant's claw-shaped seed pods, so the name helps you remember it is the yellow wild pea with small horn-like pods.