bird's-foot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus) observed in Fresh Pond Golf Course, Cambridge, MA, US
iNaturalist: nagykery
Urban Ecology
Bird's-foot trefoil spreads quietly through lawns and golf courses, fixing nitrogen in the soil and feeding bumblebees through summer when clover has faded — so spotting it in your local park is a sign the ground beneath it is quietly getting richer.
Someone spotted and photographed bird's-foot trefoil — a cheerful yellow wildflower with little claw-shaped seed pods — growing at a golf course in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The observation was verified by the iNaturalist community as research-grade, meaning the ID is confident. This small plant is actually a legume, like beans and peas, and its roots host bacteria that pull nitrogen from the air and feed it into the soil.
Key Findings
Bird's-foot trefoil confirmed present at Fresh Pond Golf Course, Cambridge, MA — an actively managed urban turf environment
Observation reached 'research-grade' status on iNaturalist, indicating community-verified species identification
Presence in a golf course setting suggests the species is persisting in mown, disturbed, or low-fertility turf conditions typical of its naturalized range in North America
chevron_right Technical Summary
A research-grade observation of bird's-foot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus) was recorded at Fresh Pond Golf Course in Cambridge, MA, confirming the presence of this nitrogen-fixing legume in a maintained urban green space.
Abstract Preview
Research-grade observation of bird's-foot trefoil in Fresh Pond Golf Course, Cambridge, MA, US.
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Species Mentioned
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Lotus corniculatus is a flowering plant in the pea family Fabaceae. Common names include common bird's-foot trefoil, eggs and bacon, birdsfoot deervetch, and just bird's-foot trefoil. It has a wide distribution and is a favored forage for livestock.