Home/Species/ Seaside Trefoil

Hosackia gracilis

Benth.

Seaside Trefoil

G4Apparently Secure Found in 1 roadless area NatureServe Explorer →

G4Apparently SecureGlobal Rank

Identity

Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.137081

Element CodePDFAB2A0D0

Record TypeSPECIES

ClassificationSpecies

Classification StatusStandard

Name CategoryVascular Plant

Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations

KingdomPlantae

PhylumAnthophyta

ClassDicotyledoneae

OrderFabales

FamilyFabaceae

GenusHosackia

Synonyms

Anisolotus formosissimus(Greene) M.Armstr. & ThornberLotus formosissimusGreene

Other Common Names

Harlequin lotus (EN) Harlequin Lotus (EN) Lotier splendide (FR) Seaside Bird's-foot Lotus (EN)

Concept Reference

Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.

Taxonomic Comments

FNA (2023, vol. 11) recognizes Lotus as native to Eurasia, with taxa native to North American treated as Acmispon or Hosackia. FNA (2023, vol. 11) treats Lotus formosissimus in the genus Hosackia as H. gracilis.

Conservation Status

Review Date2005-02-07

Change Date2005-02-07

Edition Date2005-02-07

Edition AuthorsOliver, L.

Rank Reasons

This species is known from the west coast of Canada and the United States. More specifically, this species is known from southeastern Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada south on the western side of the Cascade Mountains from Washington to Oregon and west of the Sierra Nevada to San Luis Obispo County. In the North Coast of California, biologists have been monitoring this species because it is the host plant for the lotis blue butterfly (Lycaides idas lotis), which is federally endangered. This species is also endangered in Canada. Overall, there are numerous localities of this species long the northern and central coasts of California, however, field boatnists have reported that this species is not very common and it's habitat is threatened by development (Ward and Bittman 2004).

Ecology & Habitat

Other Nations (2)

United StatesN3

Province	Rank	Native
Washington	SNR	Yes
California	S3	Yes
Oregon	SNR	Yes

CanadaN2

Province	Rank	Native
British Columbia	S2	Yes

Plant Characteristics

Economic Value (Genus)No

Roadless Areas (1)

Oregon (1)

Area	Forest	Acres
Tenmile	Siuslaw National Forest	10,818

References (4)

Brouillet, L. 2008. The taxonomy of North American loti (Fabaceae: Loteae): New names in Acmispon and Hosackia. Journal of the Botanical Research Institute of Texas 2:387-394.
Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2023. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 11. Magnoliophyta: Fabaceae, parts 1+2. Oxford Univ. Press, New York. xxvii + 1108 pp.
Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
Ward, M. and R. Bittman. 2004. Rare Plant Status Review: <i>Lotus formosissimus.</i> California Native Plant Society and California Natural Diversity Database. September 2, 2004.