Common Bird's Foot

Annual, Herbs, Taproot present, Nodules present, Stems erect or ascending, Stems or branches arching, spreading or decumbent, Stems less than 1 m tall, Stems solid, Stems or young twigs sparsely to densely hairy, Leaves alternate, Leaves petiolate, Stipules inconspicuous, absent, or caducous, Stipules persistent, Stipules free, Leaves compound, Leaves odd pinnate, Leaf or leaflet margins entire, Leaflets opposite, Leaflets 10-many, Leaves glabrous or nearly so, Leaves hairy on one or both surfaces, Inflorescence umbel-like or subumbellate, Inflorescences globose heads, capitate or subcapitate, Inflorescence axillary, Bracts conspicuously present, Flowers zygomorphic, Calyx 5-lobed, Calyx hairy, Petals separate, Corolla papilionaceous, Petals clawed, Petals whit e, Petals pinkish to rose, Petals bicolored or with red, purple or yellow streaks or spots, Banner petal ovoid or obovate, Wing tips obtuse or rounded, Keel tips obtuse or rounded, not beaked, Stamens 9-10, Stamens diadelphous, 9 united, 1 free, Filaments glabrous, Style terete, Fruit a loment, jointed, separating into articles, Fruit unilocular, Fruit indehiscent, Fruit oblong or ellipsoidal, Fruit rugose wrinkled or reticulate, Fruit exserted from calyx, Fruit compressed between seeds, Fruit beaked, Fruit hairy, Fruit 3-10 seeded, Seeds ovoid to rounded in outline, Seed surface smooth, Seeds olive, brown, or black.

Ornithopus sativus, the serradella or common birdsfoot, is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae. It is native to Southwestern Europe and Northwest Africa in Portugal, western Spain, northern Morocco and Algeria, and southwestern France and has been introduced as a legume forage to many locations around the world, including most of central and eastern Europe, Turkey, the Caucasus, the Azores, South Africa, Kenya, Java, most of Australia, the North Island of New Zealand, southern Chile, and California. It is known for producing a high‑quality forage in highly acidic, nutrient‑poor soils.