Melilotus indicus | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Rosids |
Order: | Fabales |
Family: | Fabaceae |
Subfamily: | Faboideae |
Genus: | Melilotus |
Species: | M. indicus |
Binomial name | |
Melilotus indicus | |
Varieties | |
M. indicus var. indicus | |
Synonyms | |
Melilotus parviflorusDesf. Contents |
Melilotus indicus, sometimes incorrectly written Melilotus indica, is a yellow-flowered herb native to northern Africa, Europe and Asia, but naturalized throughout the rest of the world.
Common names in English include sweet clover (or sweet-clover), sour clover (sour-clover, sourclover), Indian sweet-clover, annual yellow sweetclover, Bokhara clover, small-flowered sweet clover, common melilot, small-flowered melilot, small melilot, sweet melilot, Californian lucerne and Hexham scent. In Australia and New Zealand, where it is naturalised, it is sometimes called King Island melilot or King Island clover. [1] [2] [3]
It is an annual or biennial herb from 10 to 50 centimetres (3.9 to 19.7 inches) in height (rarely to one metre), with trifoliate leaves and small yellow flowers borne in dense racemes. [4] Similar to Melilotus altissima Thuill. in general. The flowers are 2 – 3 mm long and produce a hairless pod of similar length. [5] Its leaves have a sweet, cloying scent when crushed.
It was first published as Trifolium indicum by Carl Linnaeus in his 1753 Species plantarum . It was transferred into Melilotus by Carlo Allioni in 1785. [6]
It has a wide native distribution, ranging from Macaronesia and northern Africa, through Europe, and into temperate and tropical Asia. It is naturalised throughout most of the rest of the world, including the United Kingdom, the United States, South America, Australia and New Zealand. [1]
It is used as a source of nectar for bees, as forage, and as a soil improver. It is also used in folk medicine. It is poisonous to some mammals, and is a potential seed crop contaminant. [1]
In Pakistan, Melilotus indicus is called sinji, which is used as a vegetable. It has many medicinal uses. It has antioxidant properties . It also has alpha-amylase inhibitory activities , because of which it may be useful for type 2 diabetes.
By 1907, it was in use at King Island for cattle fodder, explaining its Australian name. [7]
Melilotus, known as melilot, sweet clover, and kumoniga, is a genus in the family Fabaceae. Members are known as common grassland plants and as weeds of cultivated ground. Originally from Europe and Asia, it is now found worldwide.
Melilotus officinalis, known as sweet yellow clover, yellow melilot, ribbed melilot and common melilot, is a species of legume native to Eurasia and introduced in North America, Africa, and Australia.
Diplarrena is a genus of flowering plants in the family Iridaceae. The two species are endemic to Australia. The name is from Greek diploos ("double") and arren ("male"); plants in the genus have only two functional stamens, while all other Iridaceae have three. The name is often misspelled Diplarrhena, an error that began with George Bentham's Flora Australiensis in 1873.
Lambertia multiflora, commonly known as many-flowered honeysuckle, is a multi-stemmed shrub which is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It grows to between 0.5 and 2.5 metres high and flowers from winter to summer.
Hakea drupacea, commonly known as sweet-scented hakea, is a tree or shrub which is native to south west Western Australia.
Orthrosanthus is a genus of flowering plants in the family Iridaceae first described as a genus in 1827. It is native to Australia, Mexico, Central and South America.
Disphyma crassifolium subsp. clavellatum is the subspecies of Disphyma crassifolium that occurs in Australia and New Zealand. It is sometimes known by the common name rounded noon-flower
Sesuvium portulacastrum is a sprawling perennial herb in the family Aizoaceae that grows in coastal and mangrove areas throughout much of the world. It grows in sandy clay, coastal limestone and sandstone, tidal flats and salt marshes, throughout much of the world. It is native to Africa, Asia, Australia, Hawai`i, North America and South America, and has naturalised in many places where it is not indigenous.
Tetragonia decumbens is a coastal shrub, native to southern Africa.
Nicotiana occidentalis, commonly known as native tobacco, is a short-lived herb endemic to Australia.
Plantago debilis is a species of herb native to Australia. Common names include shade plantain and weak plantain.
Podotheca angustifolia, commonly known as sticky longheads, is a species of herb native to Australia.
Senecio glossanthus is an annual herb native to Australia. In Western Australia it is commonly known as slender groundsel.
Aizoon pubescens is a low-growing perennial herb in the family Aizoaceae. It is native to South Africa and naturalised elsewhere.
Parsonsia brownii, commonly known as twining silkpod or mountain silkpod, is a woody vine of the dogbane family, Apocynaceae. It occurs in rainforest in the states of New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania in Australia.
Jasminum multiflorum, commonly known as star jasmine, is a species of jasmine in the family Oleaceae.
Pleioluma queenslandica, the blush condoo, is a large rainforest tree of the family Sapotaceae native to eastern Australia. It is found in sea side rainforest as well as the drier inland rainforests. From as far south as the Richmond River, New South Wales to Coen in tropical Queensland, and as far west as Melville Island, Northern Territory.
Gmelina fasciculiflora, known as the northern white beech is a species of trees endemic to the Queensland tropical rain forests, Australia, of the mint (Lamiaceae) plant family. It is one of four recognised species of the genus Gmelina found in Australia.
Maireana brevifolia is a shrub that is native to Australia and naturalised in South Africa, the Middle East and the Canary Islands. Common names in Australia include cotton bush, eastern cotton-bush, short-leaf bluebush, small-leaf bluebush and yanga bush. It grows to between 0.2 and 1 metre high. The flower-like fruits are up to 9 mm in diameter and comprise 5 paper-thin wings. It is one of the first species to appear in disturbed saline habitats.
Thelymitra antennifera, commonly called the rabbit-eared sun orchid, lemon-scented sun orchid or vanilla orchid, is a species of orchid which is native to Western Australia, South Australia and Victoria and northern parts of Tasmania.