Key Characters:
Growth Form: Annual herbs.
Stems: Stems prostrate, up to 4 dm long, branched, subglabrous, with a few long hairs on petiolules, lower surface of leaflets, and calyx.
Roots:
Leaves: Leaves compound. Alternate. Leaflets obovate–cuneate, 7–25 mm long, 5–23 mm wide. Apex rounded to truncate or emarginate. Surfaces glabrate. Margins dentate in upper ½. Leaflets with veins extending to margins. Petiolate. Stipules narrowly elliptic to narrowly ovate, laciniate, adnate to petiole.
Flowers: Flowers (1–)3–5(–8) in racemes, with an explosive tripping mechanism, bracts short. Flowers papilionaceous; bracteoles absent. Calyx campanulate, the tube short, 5-toothed, the teeth subequal. Corolla yellow, 3–4.5 mm long, deciduous after anthesis, distinct from staminal tube, keel obtuse, shorter than wings. Stamens 10; upper filament distinct, the other 9 connate into a tube, none of the filaments dilated. Ovary superior, sessile; style subulate, glabrous.
Fruit: Pods 4–8(–10) mm in diameter; exserted from calyx; reniform; spirally twisted in (1.5–)3–4(–6) turns; glabrous or subglabrous; transverse veins prominent; anastomosing; groove between submarginal and marginal vein wide; with nearly straight prickles 2–3 mm long; arising from the submarginal and marginal veins. Seeds several.
Ploidy: 2n = 14; 16
Habitat: Open; dry to occasionally mesic; disturbed areas such as pastures; roadsides; and vacant lots.
Elevation Range:
0–1,220 m.
Yes
Naturalized
IUCN:Data Deficient
Name Published In: Sp. Pl.: 779, 1200 (1753)
Other References
Wagner et al. 1990:684 (K, O, L, M, H); Shannon & Wagner 1996:14 (Mo); Bruegmann 1999:2 (Mi [spms. never arrived at BISH, consider questionable])
| SNo. | Scientific Name | Locality | Habitat | Basis of Record | Recorded By | Record Number | Island | Source | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Medicago polymorpha | S.Kohala District, Nohonaohae cinder cone | Mowed roadside along pineapple field | UNKNOWN | C. R. Annable | Hawaii | HAPI | 2/19/1999 | |
| 2 | Medicago polymorpha | Na Pali Coast, Honopu Beach, elevation near sea level | OBSERVATION | Curtis Daehler | Kauai | HAPI | 10/18/2007 | ||
| 3 | Medicago polymorpha | S.Kohala District, Nohonaohae cinder cone | Mowed roadside along pineapple field | UNKNOWN | C. R. Annable | Hawaii | HAPI | 2/19/1999 | |
| 4 | Medicago polymorpha | Na Pali Coast, Honopu Beach, elevation near sea level | OBSERVATION | Curtis Daehler | Kauai | HAPI | 10/18/2007 |
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Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.
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