Ornithopus sativus Brot.

Spreading prostrate annual; stems sparsely to densely hairy, ribbed. Lvs densely hairy; leaflets subsessile, elliptic or oblong, acute and shortly mucronate, in 7–15 pairs, 3–12 mm long; stipules somewhat adnate to petiole, triangular to ovate, minute. Heads 3–6–(8)-flowered; bracts subtending the heads with (3)–5–9 leaflets; bracteoles subtending fls minute, scarious; peduncles > or ± = lvs. Calyx sparsely to moderately hairy; calyx teeth lanceolate, about = or < tube. Corolla white to pink with reddish stripes on standard, (6)–7–10 mm long. Pod densely hairy when young, becoming less so or glabrous when mature, constricted between seeds, veined, curved or straight, compressed, 12–30 mm long, with 3–7, 1-seeded segments; seeds smooth, brown.

[From: Webb et al. (1988) Flora of New Zealand. Volume 4.]

Flowering: Jul.–Sep.