Vetches, trefoils, clovers

Pitch Trefoil – Psoralea bitumosa

Short to tall

Flowering:March to July

Flowers violet-blue or lilac, 15-20mm long in long-stalked heads. Not the most glamorous of plants, but fascinating in that the leaves smell of bitumen (tar), particularly if crushed.

Habitat: Dry, arid and rocky places, roadsides, fallow and cultivated ground.

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Star Clover – Trifolium stellatum

Low to short

Flowering: March – July

Flowers pink, occasionally purple or yellowish, 8-12mm borne in solitary heads.Leaflets oval, notched,slightly toothed at apex.

Habitat: Cultivated & waste places, fields, stony & rocky ground, roadsides

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Crown Vetch, Italian Sanfoin– Hedysarum coronarium

Robust, short to tall,  (20cm),spreading

Flowering: March – June

Flowers bright reddish- purple, 12-15mm long, borne in dense, long-stalked heads. Leaves divided into 3-5 pairs grey-green leaflets.

Habitat: Open countryside and road edges; often covering the ground in great masses. Commonly cultivated for fodder.

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