Settle Wildflowers 35 - Yellow 7- Pea family - Hay Meadow 1

We've just had two "rare for this area"  yellow flowered members of the pea family - Horseshoe Vetch and Kidney Vetch, And we had a tree- Lupin.  Now we have three commoner yellow members to look out for on any walk in fields around Settle. .. indeed in most parts of the UK.

The Bird's-foot Trefoil is a colourful contributor to a species rich traditional Dales Hay-meadow.

1. Bird's-foot Trefoil  (Lotus corniculatus)
2. Black Medick (Medicago lupulina)
3. Lesser Trefoil (Trifolium dubium)
 (A fourth you may be thinking of Yellow Meadow Vetchling is not out yet)

The pea family have nitrogen fixing bacteria in nodules in their roots, so thy can grow in places of low nitrogen fertility.


1. Bird's-foot Trefoil

Bird's-foot Trefoil 3 May 2020 Lower Winskill

The red that appears on the flowers leads to its other local name of "Eggs and Bacon"
It has 3 leaflets but also two big stipules so looks as though it has five leaflets.

Bird's-foot Trefoil 19 May 2017 Lower Winskill

2. Black Medick

Medicago lupulina  Black Medick 

Medicago lupulina  Black Medick 

I found this in soil exposed near paths in grassland near river banks - south of Settle, and near Stainforth and Langcliffe
Note the small green tooth - an extension of the leaf lamina - in the centre of the notch of each leaflet. Lesser trefoil below just has a notch.
Note the hairs on the calyx and general hairiness of the plant.
Lesser Trefoil below has a hairless calyx and much fewer hairs on the leaves.



3. Lesser Trefoil

I found this in profusion in a strip of mown grass on the pavement half way up "The Mains" in Settle and the house owner said he had lots more in his own lawn.

So both the Black Medick and the Lesser Trefoil grow in similar habitats - short - worn grassland - you have to look carefully at the differences described in the Medick section. In fact they are both small plants and you have to look carefully to see them at all!

Click here for more flowers coming out around Settle