Kidney Vetch
Kidney Vetch, Cogden shingle beach, Dorset
Group of 3 pairs of flowerheads
Pair of flowerheads
Close-up of petals and downy, pale sepals
Palmate bracts on open and unopen flowerheads
Leaves with curled leaflets
Upper leaf with leaflets
Anthyllis vulneraria
Fabaceae
Ladies’ Fingers
May to September
It is found throughout the country, but it is a bit patchy in
most areas.
See the BSBI distribution map for Kidney Vetch
It grows in rocky areas and turf on sea-cliffs, shingle,
sand dunes and, increasingly, beside roads.
Kidney Vetch is a native, variable, silky, grey, sprawling,
nitrogen-fixing perennial herb, growing up to 60cm.
Flowerheads are usually in pairs.
Flowers are normally pale yellow, but may be deep yellow,
orange or red.
Individual flowers are up to 15mm across with downy pale-
green sepals.
Flowerheads have conspicuous palmate bracts.
Leaves are up to 14cm with curled, grey-green, pinnate,
opposite leaflets with a terminal leaflet.
Kidney Vetch, Cogden shingle beach, Dorset
Group of 3 pairs of flowerheads
Pair of flowerheads
Close-up of petals and downy, pale sepals
Palmate bracts on open and unopen flowerheads
Leaves with curled leaflets
Upper leaf with leaflets
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