Onobrychis viciifolia (Fabaceae)
Onobrychis viciifolia. Scop was originally named and published by Linnaeus (1753) in Species Plantarum under the name Hedysarum onobrychis, accompanied with a brief species description written in Latin. Pinnate leaves, legume, equal petals and prickly fruit/berry (Linné.C 1753).
The name given by Linnaeus is now know as synonym for Onobrychis viciifolia published by Scopoli (1771) in Fl. Carniol., ed. 2. Scopoli changed the name from Hedysarum to Onobrychis as he perhaps thought after comparing type specimens O. viciifolia was closer to Onobrychis than it was to Hedysarum. There has since be a number of different names in older literature for O. viciifolia such as O.savita Lam. & O. vulgaris. However these are now all considered as synonyms.
IUCN status not threatened
Perennial erect herb. Roots deep taproot with smaller lateral roots and finer ones with the ability to fix nitrogen. Stem 17- 60 cm tall,often branched hollow stems with longitudinal ribs, with pubescence of unicellular hairs. Leaves 6.2-15.4 cm stipulate forming a sheath around the stem. Typically petiolate, pinnate leaflet in pairs with entire leaf margins (1- 4.9 cm) and an extension of the presence mid vein past the lamina. Inflorescences Axillary raceme/spike forming a cluster of pink-purple nectariferous flowers 5-lobed calyx (0.5- 0.9mm) usually shorter wing than keel Seed kidney shaped in a brown pod vary sizes which cab either spiny or spineless (Tralavera et al 1999).