Lotus pedunculatus, commonly known as greater bird’s-foot trefoil, is a perennial wildflower native to Europe and parts of western Asia. It is distinguished by its bright yellow, pea-like flowers often marked with red, and by its soft, creeping stems that form loose mats in wet meadows and marshy ground. The name “bird’s-foot trefoil” refers to the shape of its seed pods, which resemble a bird’s claw. Unlike the more familiar dry-grassland trefoils, this species is adapted to waterlogged soils and has a strong association with damp, traditional hay meadows, where it was once valued for improving pasture quality.
