Family |
Fabaceae
Lotus gebelia subsp. libanoticus
(Boiss.) Ponert
Leb. Syr.
Lotus gebelia subsp. libanoticus (Boiss.) Ponert
First published in Feddes Repert. 83: 640 (1972 publ. 1973).
(Nouvelle Flore du Liban et de la Syrie, vol. 2, p. 308, Pl. CXVII, 2; 1970)
Description
Life-form & habit: Perennial with short, spreading hairs forming a tomentose covering. Mouterde’s L. gebelia account describes ascending, flexuous, much-branched stems, 30–60 cm tall.
Leaves: Leaflets triangular-obovate, more or less tipped with a small point; leaf stalk shorter than the lower, stipule-like leaflets.
Inflorescence & flowers: Axillary stalks bear 2–5 pink flowers. In the broader species account, the calyx teeth equal the tube and narrow from a lanceolate base to a slender point; the large obovate standard accompanies a keel bent at a very obtuse angle and purple at its tip. Mouterde questions earlier claims that libanoticus consistently has smaller, paler flowers, shorter calyx teeth and longer flower stalks.
Fruit: Keeled, slightly flattened pods, often constricted between the seeds.
Flowering and habitat
Phenology: April–July.
Habitat & elevation: Rocky ground and pastures.
Distribution
Lebanese distribution: Ehden, Tannourine, Dimane, Hadeth, Cedars Pass, Wadi el Arayech, the area between Rachaya and Mount Hermon, and Baalbeck; these are Mouterde’s records under var. libanoticus.
Syrian distribution: Doummar, the Damascus area, Zabadani towards Maarra, Mnine–Saidnaya, Houreire and Sanamein.
Recorded locations: Tannourine.
Native range: For the accepted species Lotus gebelia: Greece, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon-Syria, Libya, Palestine, Transcaucasus, Türkiye. Kew marks Egypt as doubtful.
⚠️ Taxonomic note:
Kew treats L. gebelia subsp. libanoticus and L. libanoticus Boiss. as synonyms of L. gebelia Vent., first published in Descr. Pl. Nouv.: t. 57 (1801). The localities above follow Mouterde’s narrower variety. His historical endemic designation does not establish Lebanese-only endemism: Syrian localities are explicitly listed, and the FloraFauna endemic checklist did not expose an entry that could be verified. No Lebanese-only endemism is asserted.