Medicago laciniata (L.) Mill.

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Photo: Tony Benn
Sedibeng Village

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Synonyms:	Medicago aschersoniana Urb. Medicago polymorpha L. var. laciniata L.
Common names:
Frequency:
Status:	Native
Description:	Spreading annual herb, branching from the base. Leaves 3-foliolate; leaflets obovate-oblong, 4–15 mm long, hairless above, sparsely hairy beneath; margins more or less deeply toothed, mostly in the upper half; petiole up to 2.5 cm long; stipules laciniate, with simple hairs beneath. Inflorescence 1–2-flowered; peduncle produced into an arista beyond the terminal flower. Calyx 3–4 mm long, sparsely appressed-hairy; teeth equal, shorter than the tube. Corolla yellow, twice as long as the calyx; standard ovate, longer than the keel; wings shorter than the keel. Pod cylindrical to ellipsoid with 3-7 coils turning anticlockwise, hairless, spiny; spines 2–4 mm long, the longer ones hooked at the tip
Notes:	The specimen in the photographs appears to be the first record for the SE Division.
Derivation of specific name:	laciniata: laciniate or divided into deep narrow irregular segments, referring to the stipules.
Habitat:	In dry areas by calcareous pans.
Flowering time:
Worldwide distribution:	Namibia, Botswana, Lesotho and South Africa; also in North and Northeastern Africa as far South As Tanzania, Middle East, Arabia and Asia.
Botswana distribution:	SW,SE
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Content last updated:	Sunday 24 May 2020
Literature:	Martins, E.S. et al. (2003). Papilionoideae Flora Zambesiaca 3(7) Pages 43 - 44. (Includes a picture). Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 69.

Other sources of information about Medicago laciniata:

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Medicago laciniata
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Medicago laciniata
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Medicago laciniata
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Medicago laciniata
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Medicago laciniata
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Medicago laciniata
JSTOR Plant Science: Medicago laciniata
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Medicago laciniata
Plants of the World Online: Medicago laciniata
Tropicos: Medicago laciniata
Wikipedia: Medicago laciniata