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early medic, Mediterranean medic

alfalfa, lucerne

Habit Plants annual, 10–20 cm. Plants perennial, 20–80 cm, glabrous to puberulent.
Stems

decumbent, glabrous to sparsely pubescent.

decumbent to erect, glabrous to puberulent.

Leaves

pinnate;

leaflets wedge-shaped or obovate; length > width, 3–8 mm, bases cuneate;

margins distally denticulate;

veins raised;

tips emarginate;

surfaces abaxially slightly pubescent, adaxially glabrous;

petioles 2–5 mm;

petiolules 0.5–2 mm;

stipules 2–4 mm;

margins strongly lacerate.

sub-palmate;

leaflets narrowly lanceolate to obovate; length > width, 8–29 mm, bases cuneate;

margins distally serrate;

veins prominent;

tips truncate to rounded;

surfaces pubescent;

petioles 3–15 mm;

petiolules 1–6 mm;

stipules 6–14 mm;

margins entire to sharply toothed.

Inflorescences

1–3-flowered;

peduncles 1.5–3 mm;

pedicels 0.5–1 mm.

8–30-flowered; ovoid to oblong;

peduncles 8–40 mm;

pedicels 1–3 mm.

Flowers

calyces 1.5–2 mm;

corollas 2.5–4 mm, yellow or variegated yellow-purple; ephemeral.

calyces 4–5.5 mm;

corollas 8–10 mm, violet or variegated yellow-violet.

Fruits

spirally coiled 3–4 turns; spherical or disk-like, 5–10 mm, sparsely hairy; dorsal sutures spiny;

spines hooked, 2–3 mm.

spirally coiled 2–3 turns, rarely sickle-shaped, with doughnut-like hole visible in center of coils, 3–5 mm, villous, unarmed.

Seeds

several, reniform, 1.7–2.4 × 0.9–1.3 mm, yellow to brownish yellow.

several, reniform, 1–2.5 × 1–1.5 mm, yellow; brownish; greenish yellow or violet-brown.

2n

=14.

=16, 32.

Medicago praecox

Medicago sativa

Distribution
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Gravelly and grassy areas, roadsides, near beaches. Flowering Apr–May. 0–300 m. Est. CA; Australia, Europe. Exotic.

Medicago praecox has tiny flowers that appear similar to M. polymorpha, but the leaflets of the latter are usually glabrous and generally twice as long as those of M. praecox. Medicago praecox also has fewer flowers per inflorescence.

Sandy or rocky areas, riparian areas, fields, roadsides, disturbed areas. Flowering Jun–Aug. 0–1500 m. BR, Casc, Col, CR, ECas, Lava, Sisk, WV. CA, ID, NV, WA; worldwide. Exotic.

Medicago sativa is the only Oregon species with purple or variegated flowers and with coiled, non-spiny fruits containing several seeds. It also has the largest flowers (approaching 1 cm in length) and more flowers per inflorescence than most of our other species. Medicago sativa is commonly used as a cover crop or green manure.

Source Flora of Oregon, volume 2, page 708
Nurul Khalib, Melanie Link-Perez
Flora of Oregon, volume 2, page 709
Nurul Khalib, Melanie Link-Perez
Sibling taxa
M. arabica, M. falcata, M. lupulina, M. minima, M. polymorpha, M. sativa, M. turbinata
M. arabica, M. falcata, M. lupulina, M. minima, M. polymorpha, M. praecox, M. turbinata
Synonyms Medicago sativa ssp. sativa
Web links