Vasilis Teodoridis:
FOC Vol. 10 | Fabaceae | Medicago
7. Medicago sativa Linnaeus; Sp. Pl. 2: 778. 1753.
??? zi mu xu
Medicago afghanica Vassilczenko; M. alaschanica Vassilczenko; M. asiatica Sinskaya subsp. sinensis Sinskaya; M. beipinensis Vassilczenko; M. pekinensis Vassilczenko; M. rivularis Vassilczenko; M. roborovskii Vassilczenko; M. sativa var. tibetana Alefeld; M. tibetana (Alefeld) Vassilczenko.
Perennial herbs; 30-100 cm. Stems erect; ascending; rarely prostrate; quadrangular; glabrous or puberulent; much branched. Stipules ovate-lanceolate; base entire or with 1 or 2 denticles; apex acute; leaflets long ovate; obovate; to linear-ovate; (5-)10-25(-40) x 3-10 mm; papery; appressed pubescent abaxially; glabrous adaxially; lateral veins 8-10 pairs; base tapering; margin serrulate in upper 1/3; apex rounded; mucronate with a denticle from midrib. Heads or racemes with 5-30 flowers; 1-2.5 cm; peduncles straight; longer than leaves; bracts equal to pedicels; ca. 2 mm. Corolla variable in color; white; deep blue; to dark purple; standard oblong; retuse. Ovary linear; ovules numerous. Legume tightly coiled in 2-4(-6) spirals; 5-9 mm in diam.; center solid or nearly so; brown when ripe; veins thin and inconspicuous. Seeds 10-20; yellow or brown; ovoid; 1-2.5 mm; smooth. Fl. May-Jul; fr. Jun-Oct.
Cultivated throughout China; often escaped to roadsides; fields; grasslands; and stream banks [native to N and SW Asia; probably also S Europe; now cosmopolitan].
Vasilis Teodoridis:
FOC Vol. 10 | Fabaceae | Medicago
7. Medicago sativa Linnaeus; Sp. Pl. 2: 778. 1753.
??? zi mu xu
Medicago afghanica Vassilczenko; M. alaschanica Vassilczenko; M. asiatica Sinskaya subsp. sinensis Sinskaya; M. beipinensis Vassilczenko; M. pekinensis Vassilczenko; M. rivularis Vassilczenko; M. roborovskii Vassilczenko; M. sativa var. tibetana Alefeld; M. tibetana (Alefeld) Vassilczenko.
Perennial herbs; 30-100 cm. Stems erect; ascending; rarely prostrate; quadrangular; glabrous or puberulent; much branched. Stipules ovate-lanceolate; base entire or with 1 or 2 denticles; apex acute; leaflets long ovate; obovate; to linear-ovate; (5-)10-25(-40) x 3-10 mm; papery; appressed pubescent abaxially; glabrous adaxially; lateral veins 8-10 pairs; base tapering; margin serrulate in upper 1/3; apex rounded; mucronate with a denticle from midrib. Heads or racemes with 5-30 flowers; 1-2.5 cm; peduncles straight; longer than leaves; bracts equal to pedicels; ca. 2 mm. Corolla variable in color; white; deep blue; to dark purple; standard oblong; retuse. Ovary linear; ovules numerous. Legume tightly coiled in 2-4(-6) spirals; 5-9 mm in diam.; center solid or nearly so; brown when ripe; veins thin and inconspicuous. Seeds 10-20; yellow or brown; ovoid; 1-2.5 mm; smooth. Fl. May-Jul; fr. Jun-Oct.
Cultivated throughout China; often escaped to roadsides; fields; grasslands; and stream banks [native to N and SW Asia; probably also S Europe; now cosmopolitan].