Anthyllis is a genus of flowering plants in the family Fabaceae (order Fabales), comprising roughly 20–25 species of herbs and low shrubs. The genus is distributed across Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa, with its range extending from Atlantic coastal habitats to alpine grasslands and Mediterranean scrubland. Species vary in habit from mat-forming perennials to erect subshrubs, and most bear the characteristic papilionaceous (pea-type) flowers typical of the legume family, in colours ranging from yellow and cream to pink, red, and purple. The calyx is notably inflated and often woolly-hairy, a feature that has given rise to common names such as kidney vetch for the best-known species.
The most widespread member of the genus is Anthyllis vulneraria (kidney vetch), a familiar grassland and coastal herb that has been widely introduced beyond its native Eurasian range, including to New Zealand. Several other species are endemic to restricted Mediterranean or Macaronesian localities. Like many legumes, Anthyllis species fix atmospheric nitrogen through root symbioses, making them important components of nutrient-poor grassland communities.
Anthyllis species serve as larval food plants for a number of Lepidoptera, notably several case-bearer moths of the genus Coleophora that are host-specific to individual Anthyllis species.
Etymology
The name Anthyllis derives from the Greek ánthos (flower) and ioulos (down or woolly nap), referring to the characteristically hairy or woolly calyces that distinguish many species in the genus.
Distribution
Anthyllis is native to Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa, growing in habitats from coastal cliffs and sand dunes to alpine grasslands and Mediterranean scrub. Anthyllis vulneraria has additionally been introduced to New Zealand.
Ecology
Anthyllis species are used as larval food plants by several host-specific case-bearer moths of the genus Coleophora, including C. acanthyllidis and C. protecta (on A. tragacanthoides), C. hermanniella (on A. hermanniae), C. vestalella (on A. cytisoides), and C. vulnerariae (on A. vulneraria). As members of Fabaceae, Anthyllis species are capable of nitrogen fixation through root-nodule symbioses, contributing to soil fertility in the nutrient-poor grasslands they typically inhabit.
