Common Restharrow

Description:

A member of the Pea family (Fabaceae), Common Restharrow commonly grows on dry grassy cliffs. The stems are hairy and the leaves oval or trefoil, sometimes with slight notching. It is a prostrate woody perennial with small oval leaves. Short to medium, erect or spreading sub shrub, stems often rooting near the base. It sometimes has soft weak spines but never stiff spines. The leaves are covered in glandular hairs which give a resinous smell on bruising. Flowers pink 15 to 20 mm in lax, leafy racemes, flowers are pink and unscented.

Habitat:

Dry grassy habitats on calcareous soils including meadows, banks and roadside verges.