Common name: Black Medic
Medicago lupulina L. APNI*
Description: Annual or short-lived perennial to 60 cm high, ± pubescent.
Leaves 3-foliolate; leaflets obovate to ± circular or cuneate; terminal leaflets 4.5–15 mm long, 4.5–10 mm wide, toothed, especially towards apex, upper surface sparsely to densely hairy when young, without darker marks; stipules entire to weakly toothed, hairy on lower surface.
Inflorescences 10–50-flowered; peduncle more than twice as long as subtending petiole. Calyx with 3 anterior teeth slightly longer than tube and 2 posterior teeth shorter than tube. Corolla yellow; standard 2–2.5 mm long; keel ± shorter than wings.
Pod reniform, 2–3.5 mm long, 1–2 mm diam., only distal end coiled; 1-seeded.
Distribution and occurrence: Native of Eur., Asia & N Afr.
NSW subdivisions: *NC, *CC, *SC, *NT, *CT, *ST, *NWS, *CWS, *LHI
Other Australian states: *Vic. *Tas. *W.A. *S.A.
Text by P. H. Weston Taxon concept: Flora of NSW 2 (1991)
APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data ***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.
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