Melilotus officinalis
Melilotus sulcatus
common melilot, field or rib or yellow melilot, rib melilot, sweetclover, yellow melilot, yellow sweet-clover
furrowed melilot, grooved melilot, Mediterranean sweetclover
decumbent to erect.
erect or ascending.
stipules lanceolate or subulate, 3–6(–12) mm, margins entire;
leaflet blades obovate, obovate-oblong, ovate, or ovate-lanceolate, 8–25 × 4–15 mm, margins dentate.
stipules ovate-acuminate or subulate, 5–10 mm, margins dentate (mostly at base);
leaflet blades obovate, oblanceolate, or oblong-cuneate, 10–25 × 5–12 mm, margins dentate.
30–70(–80)–flowered.
(5–)8–20(–50)-flowered.
(1.5–)2–2.5 mm.
1–2 mm.
4–7 mm;
corolla yellow;
ovary glabrous.
(2.5–)3–4(–8) mm;
corolla yellow;
ovary glabrous.
ovoid, 2.5–5 mm, transversely rugose, areoles notably elongated, glabrous.
globose or ovoid, (2–)3–4(–5.5) mm, concentrically striate-veined, glabrous.
1 (or 2), ovoid, obovoid, or ellipsoid, (1.5–)1.8–2(–2.5) mm.
1(or 2), oblong-subglobose or ovoid, (2–)2.5–3(–3.5) mm.
= 16.
= 16 [Eurasia].
Melilotus officinalis
Melilotus sulcatus
Melilotus officinalis is occasionally grown as a forage crop, but it is generally considered to be an undesirable weed.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
In Europe, Melilotus sulcatus appears to intergrade or at least hybridize with M. infestus Gussone [M. sulcatus subsp. infestus (Gussone) Bonnier & Layens] and M. segetalis (Brotero) Seringe [M. sulcatus subsp. segetalis (Brotero) P. Fournier].
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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