Lotus maculatus is an endemic species from the Canary Islands.
Lotus maculatus is a trailing herbaceous plant with slightly woody stem bases. The stems often reach 1.5 metres in length or even 2.5 m, but do not exceed 30 centemetres in cultivation.
Lotus maculatus was scientifically described by Charlotte Breitfeld (1902–2003) and named in 2008. This unusual state is because while she described the plant in 1973, it was improperly done from multiple specimens. Therefore, it was described again in 2008 by Nicholas Hind using one holotype as required by the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature, but again crediting the work of Breitfeld.[1]
This species grows in the wild in a small area on the north side of the island of Tenerife. When assessed in 2011 only 28 plants were known to grow outside of cultivation and their numbers were decreasing.