Seaside Bird's Foot Trefoil
Hosackia gracilis
Hosackia gracilis is a species in the Fabaceae (Legume) family known by the common name Seaside Bird's-foot Trefoil. It is a rare plant native to western North America from British Columbia to California, as far south as San Luis Obispo County, where it grows in moist spots in the coastal mountains and down to the oceanside bluffs. Due to its limited distribution it is included on CNPS list 4.2. It is a perennial herb growing upright or spreading to about half a meter in maximum length. It is lined with leaves each made up of a few oppositely arranged oval leaflets up to 2 centimeters long. The flower cluster is made up of several pea-like flowers each 1 to 2 centimeters long. The flower has a bright yellow banner, or upper petal, and bright pink or white lower petals. The fruit is a legume pod 2 or 3 centimeters long.
