. The Canadian field-naturalist. Natural history; Sciences naturelles. 2006 Donovan: Bog Bird's-i (kji Trefoil 159 The pca-likc, bisexual llowcrs are borne at the end of a long peduncle arising from the leaf axil, and the umbellate inilorescences are produced sequentially throughout the growing season. As the flowers senesce, some become progressively more reddish (Isely 1981). During July, when drought conditions arc prevalent, seed maturation and dispersal begin, followed by die- back of the stems to the rootstcK'k, which is l(K-atcd sev- eral centimetres below the soil surface. The seeds la
. The Canadian field-naturalist. Natural history; Sciences naturelles. 2006 Donovan: Bog Bird's-i (kji Trefoil 159 The pca-likc, bisexual llowcrs are borne at the end of a long peduncle arising from the leaf axil, and the umbellate inilorescences are produced sequentially throughout the growing season. As the flowers senesce, some become progressively more reddish (Isely 1981). During July, when drought conditions arc prevalent, seed maturation and dispersal begin, followed by die- back of the stems to the rootstcK'k, which is l(K-atcd sev- eral centimetres below the soil surface. The seeds lack any strong adaptations for long-distance dispersal by wind or animal vectors. Most seeds are gravity-dis- persed and generally land in the immediate vicinity of the parent plant. The plant's habitat along stream channels may permit the legumes and seeds to be trans- ferred by water during times of seasonal flooding. However, germination and seedling survival appear to depend upon continuous surface moisture, and the species does not appear to be a strong competitor with native shrub species or with invasive alien plants. The chances of a healthy population returning to Canada if local populations become extirpated are highly unlike- ly. The nearest population in Washington State, from which collections were made in 1940, is 240 km away in Bremerton. Whether this population is extant is un- known. As with other perennial species in the genus Lotus, Zandstra and Grant (1968) suggested that the flowers of L. pinnatus required cross-pollination to set viable seed. Given the bright yellow appearance of the flower and the wide keel that serves as a suitable landing plat- form, flowers of L. pinnatus appear to be adapted to bee pollination. Although the importance of the bum- blebee to the flower (and vice versa) is yet to be specif- ically determined, bumblebees were observed visiting flowers of L. pinnatus at Harewood Plains during field observations made in 2003. Although bees a
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