Contains 7 accepted taxa overall.
Characteristics
Classification
Citation
MEDICAGO Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 778. 1753, nom. cons.
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TYPE: Medicago sativa Linnaeus, typ. cons.
Species
| Scientific Name | Common Name | Status | Photos |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medicago arabica | SPOTTED MEDICK | Not Native | |
| Medicago littoralis | COASTAL MEDICK; WATER MEDICK | Not Native | |
| Medicago lupulina | BLACK MEDICK | Not Native UPL (NWPL) | |
| Medicago minima | BURR MEDICK | Not Native | |
| Medicago orbicularis | BLACKDISK MEDICK; BUTTON CLOVER | Not Native | |
| Medicago polymorpha | BURR CLOVER | Not Native FACU (NWPL) | |
| Medicago sativa | ALFALFA | Not Native UPL (NWPL) |
[Family identification key]
1. Corolla 2-3 mm long; fruit reniform, black, with 1 seed
1. Corolla 3-11 mm long; fruit spirally coiled, with multiple seeds
2
2. Plant perennial with a stout taproot; corolla purplish (rarely yellow), 6-11 mm long; fruit without prickles
2. Plant annual with a slender taproot; corolla yellow; fruit with or without prickles
3
3. Stipules entire to slightly dentate
3. Stipules lacerate
4
4. Fruit without prickles, 10-15 mm wide
4. Fruit with prickles, the body 5-8 mm wide (excluding prickles)
5
5. Leaflets sparsely villous; veins of fruit obscure
5. Leaflets glabrous or sparsely pubescent on the underside; veins of fruit often pronounced
6
6. Leaflets 0.7-1.1 times longer than wide, often with a central dark reddish spot; stipules shallow lacerate, the lobes often subequal or shorter than the body
6. Leaflets 1-3 times longer than wide, without a central spot; stipules deeply lacerate, the lobes mostly longer than the body