Medicago arborea

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Medicago arborea
Medicago arborea1.jpg
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Subfamily: Faboideae
Genus: Medicago
Species:
M. arborea
Binomial name
Medicago arborea
L.
Synonyms
  • Medicago arborea var. citrinaFont Quer
  • Medicago arborea subsp. citrina(Font Quer) O. Bolòs & Vigo
  • Medicago arborescensC. Presl
  • Medicago citrina(Font Quer) Greuter
  • Rhodusia arborea(L.) Vassilcz.
  • Trigonella arborea (L.) Vassilcz.

Medicago arborea is a flowering plant species in the pea and bean family Fabaceae. Common names include moon trefoil, shrub medick, alfalfa arborea, and tree medick. It is found throughout Europe and especially in the Mediterranean basin, primarily on rocky shores among shrubby vegetation. It forms a symbiotic relationship with the bacterium Sinorhizobium meliloti , which is capable of nitrogen fixation. It is the only member of the genus Medicago which is used as an ornamental. M. arborea is sometimes misidentified as Cytisus , which it resembles. [1]

Contents

Description

The shrub is 1–4 metres (3 ft 3 in – 13 ft 1 in) high and wide and is pale yellow in colour. Its stems are erect and terete while its stipules are triangular and are 5–8 millimetres (0.20–0.31 in) in height. Its petioles are 2–4 centimetres (0.79–1.57 in) long with obovate to obcordate leaflets. Flowers are scattered 6-10 racemes and are 2–2.5 centimetres (0.79–0.98 in) long with axillar peduncles which are 3–5 centimetres (1.2–2.0 in). Bracts are 2 millimetres (0.079 in) long while its pedicels are 5 millimetres (0.20 in) long. Its legume is coiled in 0.5 to 1.5 spirals which are 12–15 millimetres (0.47–0.59 in) wide and are pubescent at the center. The corolla is of orange colour and is 12–15 millimetres (0.47–0.59 in). The seeds are 4 millimetres (0.16 in) long. [2]

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Medicago is a genus of flowering plants, commonly known as medick or burclover, in the legume family (Fabaceae). It contains at least 87 species and is distributed mainly around the Mediterranean basin. The best-known member of the genus is alfalfa, an important forage crop, and the genus name is based on the Latin name for that plant, medica, from Greek: μηδική (πόα) Median (grass). Most members of the genus are low, creeping herbs, resembling clover, but with burs. However, alfalfa grows to a height of 1 meter, and tree medick is a shrub. Members of the genus are known to produce bioactive compounds such as medicarpin and medicagenic acid. Chromosome numbers in Medicago range from 2n = 14 to 48.

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References

  1. Lesinš, Karlis Adolfs; Lesinš, Irma (1979). Genus Medicago (Leguminosae). The Hague, The Netherlands: Dr. W. Junk bv Publishers. p. 132. ISBN   90-6193-598-9.
  2. "Medicago arborea". 778 (1753). Flora of China.{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)