Lotus australis
Encyclopedia
Lotus australis, known by its common name of Austral Trefoil, is a small, spreading herb from the family of Leguminosae. It normally grows to around 30-50 in height and is native to Australia
.
Leaves are of a trifoliate shape and are small, with a light green colour. During spring
, the plant bursts into beautiful massed displays of white pea flowers. In summer
these are replaced with stiff tubular beans, which explode when they dry, releasing multiple small, black legume seeds. Austral trefoil is easily propagated
from these seeds, by soaking the seeds in hot water overnight before sowing. This mimics the heat of a bushfire, which is a contributing factor in germination
in the wild.
Lotus australis is one of just a few plants in which the cyanogenic
glucoside
known by the name of lotaustralin
naturally occurs.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
Leaves are of a trifoliate shape and are small, with a light green colour. During spring
Spring (season)
Spring is one of the four temperate seasons, the transition period between winter and summer. Spring and "springtime" refer to the season, and broadly to ideas of rebirth, renewal and regrowth. The specific definition of the exact timing of "spring" varies according to local climate, cultures and...
, the plant bursts into beautiful massed displays of white pea flowers. In summer
Summer
Summer is the warmest of the four temperate seasons, between spring and autumn. At the summer solstice, the days are longest and the nights are shortest, with day-length decreasing as the season progresses after the solstice...
these are replaced with stiff tubular beans, which explode when they dry, releasing multiple small, black legume seeds. Austral trefoil is easily propagated
Plant propagation
Plant propagation is the process of creating new plants from a variety of sources: seeds, cuttings, bulbs and other plant parts. Plant propagation can also refer to the artificial or natural dispersal of plants.-Sexual propagation :...
from these seeds, by soaking the seeds in hot water overnight before sowing. This mimics the heat of a bushfire, which is a contributing factor in germination
Germination
Germination is the process in which a plant or fungus emerges from a seed or spore, respectively, and begins growth. The most common example of germination is the sprouting of a seedling from a seed of an angiosperm or gymnosperm. However the growth of a sporeling from a spore, for example the...
in the wild.
Lotus australis is one of just a few plants in which the cyanogenic
Cyanide
A cyanide is a chemical compound that contains the cyano group, -C≡N, which consists of a carbon atom triple-bonded to a nitrogen atom. Cyanides most commonly refer to salts of the anion CN−. Most cyanides are highly toxic....
glucoside
Glucoside
A glucoside is a glycoside that is derived from glucose. Glucosides are common in plants, but rare in animals. Glucose is produced when a glucoside is hydrolysed by purely chemical means, or decomposed by fermentation or enzymes....
known by the name of lotaustralin
Lotaustralin
Lotaustralin is a cyanogenic glucoside found in small amounts in Fabaceae Austral Trefoil , cassava , lima bean , roseroot and white clover , among other plants...
naturally occurs.