About Lotus australis Andrews
Lotus australis, commonly called austral trefoil, is a small spreading herb in the Fabaceae family. Native to Australia, it typically reaches 30 to 50 centimeters in height. Its small leaves are trifoliate in shape and light green in colour. In spring, the plant produces abundant, striking displays of white pea-shaped flowers. These flowers are replaced by stiff, tubular bean pods in summer. When the pods dry out, they explode to release numerous small, black legume seeds. Austral trefoil can be easily propagated from these seeds by soaking them in hot water overnight before sowing. This treatment mimics the heat of a bushfire, a natural factor that triggers germination in wild populations. Lotus australis is one of only a few plant species where the cyanogenic glucoside lotaustralin naturally occurs.
