Medicago polymorpha

L. (1753)

This name is accepted

Kingdom: Viridiplantae Phylum: Magnoliophyta Class/Clade: Eudicot-Rosids Order: Fabales Family: Fabaceae Genus: Medicago

bur clover

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Description

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.

Historical Distribution

Images

Synonyms (151)

Uses and Culture

USES

  • Yes

Natural History

Statewide Status

Naturalized

Island Status

Kuaihelani (Midway Atoll) Potentially Naturalizing
Kaua'i Naturalized
O'ahu Naturalized
Molokai Naturalized
Lana'i Naturalized
Maui Naturalized
Hawai'i Naturalized

Dispersal Agents


Pollinators

Bibliography

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])

Occurrences

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