Flora Europaea. Volume 2. Rosaceae to Umbelliferae Author Tutin, T. G. Author Heywood, V. H. Author Burges, N. A. Author Moore, D. M. Author Valentine, D. H. Author Walters, S. M. Author Webb, D. A. text 1981 Cambridge University Press book 10.5281/zenodo.293200 293200 3. H. comosa L. , Sp. Pl. 744 (1753) . Perennial up to 40(-60) cm, woody at base. Leaflets 3-8 pairs, (2—)5—15 x (l-)2-4 mm, obovate to linear, subglabrous to densely pubescent beneath. Heads (2-)5- to 12-flowered; peduncles up to 4 times as long as the leaves. Corolla 6—10(—14) mm; claw of the standard usually distinctly longer than the calyx. Legume 15-30x2-3 mm; segments horseshoe-shaped or with semicircular sinuses, with red-brown papillae. 2« = 28. W., C. & S. Europe, northwards to N. England and N.C. Germany. Al Au Be Br Bu Cz Ga Ge G r He Ho Hs Hu It Ju Rm Rs (W) Sa. An extremely variable species which can be distinguished from all the other perennial species of Hippocrepis by the red-brown papillae on the legume. Plants in S.E. Europe, otherwise closely resembling this species, sometimes have white papillae, and it is not clear whether these are variants of 3 or of 1 or 2.