|
 Black
Medick
Medicago lupulina
Data from
Missouri Plants
Stems - To 45cm tall but typically less, erect
to ascending, multiple from base, branching, from a taproot, typically purple at
the base and on stems that face the sun, pilose, herbaceous, 4-angled.
Leaves - Alternate, petiolate, stipulate,
trifoliolate. Stipules large, foliaceous, generally ovate, acuminate, to 1.5cm
long, 5mm broad, glabrous adaxially, pilose abaxially, with 1-2 pointed lobes at
the base or not. Leaflets elliptic to obovate or rhombic, entire or shallow
serrate or sinuate in the apical 1/2. Lateral veins parallel.
Inflorescence - Axillary pedunculate racemes.
Peduncle longer then the subtending leaf and pubescent as the stem, some hairs
glandular. Raceme to 1cm long, dense in flower. Each flower subtended by a
single minute bract. Bract linear, -1mm long. Pedicels to -1mm long in fruit,
pilose.
Flowers - Corolla yellow to 5mm long. Standard to
3mm broad, mostly glabrous, typically with apical margins revolute. Keels
apically fused. Wings connate basally to keels. Anthers pale yellow to .1mm
broad. Ovary green, glabrous, +1mm long, compressed. Style short, green. Calyx
5-lobed. Lobes attenuate, the longest to 1mm long, pilose externally, glabrous
internally. Fruits dark brown to black when mature, reniform or cochleate, 3-4mm
long, 2mm broad, compressed, sparse pilose, reticulate.
Flowering - February - December.
Habitat - Lawns, fields, waste ground, roadsides,
railroads.
Origin - Native to Eurasia and Africa.
Other info. - This little species is a big time
weed found throughout. The plant spreads easily and can form large colonies when
left untouched. The small fruits of this plant turn black when ripened and look
like small kidneys.
|
LucasLand