Fabaceae
Medicago

Medicago polymorpha L.

First published in Sp. Pl.: 779, 1200 (1753)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Macaronesia, Europe to Central Asia and W. Nepal, N. & NE. Tropical Africa to Arabian Peninsula. It is an annual or perennial and grows primarily in the temperate biome. It is used to treat unspecified medicinal disorders, has environmental uses, as animal food, a poison and a medicine and for food.

Descriptions

Seed Collecting Guide. RBG Kew (2013-2016)

Morphology General Habit
Annual herb, branched from the base, stems procumbent, decumbent or ascending 15-40(-70) cm long
Morphology Leaves Stipules
stipules lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, laciniate
Morphology Leaves
leaflets obovate or obcordate, 6-20 mm long by 5-18 mm wide, margins serrate in apical 1/3 to 1/2, glabrous above, underside glabrous or sparsely hairy
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
compact heads of 2-6(-10) flowers, peduncle shorter or longer than subtending petiole. flowers 3.5- 6 mm long; calyx about half to equally length of corolla, teeth subulate to lanceolate, about equal to length of tube; corolla yellow
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
young pod protruding sideways from calyx, pubescent mature pod discoid, cylindrical or conical, 2-12 mm long, usually glabrous, grey to black, spines present or absent, grooved if present, coils 1.5-7 in a lax spiral, coil face ventation reticulate, veins anastomosing in outer part of coil before entering lateral vein
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
2-4 mm long, testa smooth, yellow to brownish, 1-2 per coil, separated by spongy septa
Ecology
occurs in a wide variety of s and on many different soil types, often as a weed in cultivation. absent from deserts and high mountains. altitude 0 - 1000 m
Distribution
Native to Europe, North and East Africa, Middle East and Western Asia. introduced in North and South America, Australia, new Zealand. Hawaii, Marianas, reunion, South Africa. near endangered
Phenology
Flower (no data), fruit (no data)
[SCG]

Distribution
Biogeografic region: Andean. Elevation range: 2090–3200 m a.s.l. Naturalised in Colombia. Colombian departments: Bogotá DC, Boyacá, Cauca, Cundinamarca, Nariño, Santander, Valle del Cauca.
Habit
Herb, Climbing.
Ecology
Habitat according IUCN Habitats Classification: artificial - terrestrial.
[UPFC]

The Useful Plants of Boyacá project

Morphology General Habit
Herb or creeper.
Conservation
Not Evaluated.
Ecology
Alt. 2090 - 3200 m.
Distribution
Naturalised in Colombia.
[UPB]

Bernal, R., Gradstein, S.R. & Celis, M. (eds.). 2015. Catálogo de plantas y líquenes de Colombia. Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá. http://catalogoplantasdecolombia.unal.edu.co

Distribution
Naturalizada en Colombia; Alt. 2090 - 3200 m.; Andes.
Morphology General Habit
Hierba, trepadora
Conservation
No Evaluada
[CPLC]

Bernal, R., G. Galeano, A. Rodríguez, H. Sarmiento y M. Gutiérrez. 2017. Nombres Comunes de las Plantas de Colombia. http://www.biovirtual.unal.edu.co/nombrescomunes/

Vernacular
cadillo, cadillo de perro, carretón, carretón cadillo, carretoncito, cuartillita, cuartillito, trébol cadillo
[UNAL]

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
[AERP]

International Legume Database and Information Service

Conservation
Not Threatened
Ecology
Africa: Afromontane grassland, Afromontane (upland) anthropic landscapes, Mediterranean bushland & thicket, Mediterranean grasslands.
Morphology General Habit
Annual/Perennial, Not climbing, Herb
Vernacular
Black Medick, Bur Medic, Bur Medick, Burclover, Burr Medic, California Burclover, Luzerne Polymorphe, Lyutzerna Chernaya, Lyutzerna Melkozubchataya, Lyutzerna Zubchataya, Rauher Schneckenklee, Stachliger Schneckenklee, Toothed Bur Clover, Toothed Medick,
[ILDIS]

International Legume Database and Information Service

Morphology General Habit
Annual, Not climbing, Herb
[ILDIS]

International Legume Database and Information Service

Morphology General Habit
Annual, Not climbing, Herb
[ILDIS]

International Legume Database and Information Service

Conservation
Not Threatened
Morphology General Habit
Annual, Not climbing, Herb
[ILDIS]

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/176612/7276230

Conservation
DD - data deficient
[IUCN]

Uses

Use Animal Food
Used as animal food.
Use Environmental
Environmental uses.
Use Food
Used for food.
Use Medicines
Medical uses.
Use Poisons
Poisons.
[UPFC]

Use Medicines Unspecified Medicinal Disorders
Medicinal (State of the World's Plants 2016).
[UPB]

Use
Environmental, Food and Drink, Forage, Medicine, Weed
[ILDIS]

Common Names

English
Toothed Medick

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • Catálogo de Plantas y Líquenes de Colombia

    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • IUCN Categories

    • IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • International Legume Database and Information Service

    • International Legume Database and Information Service (ILDIS) V10.39 Nov 2011
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Living Collection Database

    • Common Names from Plants and People Africa http://www.plantsandpeopleafrica.com/

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Science Photographs

    • Copyright applied to individual images

  • Seed Collection Guides

    • Seed Collection Guides
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Universidad Nacional de Colombia

    • ColPlantA database
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Useful Plants and Fungi of Colombia

    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Useful Plants of Boyacá Project

    • ColPlantA database
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • World Checklist of Vascular plants (WCVP)

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0