Medicago orbicularis (L.) Bartal.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds Protein Content

3.40% Entire seed/nut. Moisture content not stated (Barclay & Earle, 1974)

M. Thulin et al. Flora of Somalia, Vol. 1-4 [updated 2008] https://plants.jstor.org/collection/FLOS

Morphology General Habit

Glabrous or sparsely hairy, procumbent annual

Morphology Leaves Leaflets

Leaflets obovate-cuneate; stipules laciniate

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Racemes 1–5-flowered

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla yellow, 2–5 mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pod 10–17(–20) mm in diam., in a spiral of 4–6 turns, lens-shaped, glabrous or almost so, not spiny; transverse veins with a few, usually weak anastomosing branches.

Distribution

N2 Eritrea, Ethiopia, Mediterranean region, extending to SW Asia and India.

Ecology

Altitude range 1150–1350 m.

Note

First record for Somalia (Madarshon at 11°02’N, 48°58’E, and near Ragad at 11°00’N, 48°29’E).

Seed Collecting Guide. RBG Kew (2013-2016)

Morphology General Habit

Annual herb, branched from the base, stems 10-40(-100) cm long, usually procumbent. vegetative parts usually glabrous or glabrescent.

Morphology Leaves Stipules

stipules 3-6 mm long, lacinate. leaflets 7-13 x 5-10 mm, obovate to cuneate, margins serrate in distal 1/3 to 2/3

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

usually composed of 1-2(-5) flowers, peduncles shorter or longer than subtending petiole

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

flowers 3 -4(-6) mm long, calyx glabrous or sparsely hairy, corolla yellow up to twice as long as calyx

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

young pod protruding sideways from calyx in a loose spiral which tightens at maturity mature pod lenticular to discoid, spines absent, 8-20 mm across, coils (2-)3-7, papery at margins, usually only a single pod developing per peduncle, coil face lacking a lateral vein

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

triangular to deltoid, compressed, 3-6 per coil, separated by thin septa, testa tubercular, yellow to brown.

Ecology

margins of cultivated fields, fallow areas and hilly slopes. altitude 0 - 1800 m

Conservation

Near endangered

Phenology

Flower (march - june), fruit (no data)

Distribution

Native in Mediterranean region, Middle East, Western Asia including Caucasus. introduced to Australia, USA, Chile and South Africa.

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation

Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident

Leguminosae, various authors. Flora Zambesiaca 3:7. 2003

Morphology General Habit

Annual herb, usually procumbent.

Morphology Leaves Leaflets

Leaflets obovate, cuneate at the base, usually retuse at the apex, finely denticulate in the upper half, glabrous; stipules deeply laciniate, glabrous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence 1–3(5)-flowered; peduncle produced into a fine arista beyond the flowers.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers with pedicels longer than the calyx.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx glabrous or sparsely hairy; teeth almost as long as the tube.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla yellow, ± twice as long as the calyx.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pod lenticular or discoid, glabrous, without spines; coils 3–5, turning anticlockwise, thin, the middle coil 8–15 mm in diameter; surface of coils with a net of anastomosing radial veins entering into the dorsal suture; no submarginal vein present.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds not seen.