Ornithopus pinnatus (Mill.) Druce

Spreading ascending annual; stems glabrous to sparsely hairy, ribbed. Lvs usually sparsely hairy below, glabrous above; leaflets subsessile, obovate, obtuse and shortly mucronate, in 3–8 pairs, sometimes alternate, 3–9 mm long; stipules somewhat adnate to petiole, triangular. Heads 1–5-flowered; bracts and bracteoles minute, scarious; peduncle ± = lvs. Calyx glabrous or sparsely hairy about teeth; calyx teeth triangular, much < tube. Corolla yellow, or yellow veined with red on standard, 6–8 mm long. Pod glabrous, not constricted between seeds, veined, curved, cylindric, 20–25 mm long, with 8–12–(15), 1-seeded segments; seeds smooth, light brown.

[From: Webb et al. (1988) Flora of New Zealand. Volume 4.]

Flowering: Jul.–Nov.