Scientific name: Medicago polymorpha L.Synonyms: Medicago lappacea Desr.; Medicago hispida Gaertn. var. lappacea (Desr.) UrbanCommon name: Burr medicFamily: FabaceaeOrigin:Native of Europe. Habit:Annual herb with creeping stems. Habitat:Common weed of tended areas often grows in lawns. General description:Stems and leavesStems are prostrate, slightly hairy. The compound leaves are clover- like with three inverted heart-shaped leaflets, 0.5-2 × 0.3-1.5 cm, with slightly serrated margins. Leaves are alternate with petioles (leaf stalks) approximately 3 cm long. Flowers and fruitBetween two and ten small yellow pea flowers (3-6 mm long) are borne on short flower stalks. Fruits are coiled pods 4-6 mm in diameter. There are two varieties of this species which can be distinguished by fruit characteristics. In one the fruits are spiny and less coiled (1.5-3.5 coils), the other has spineless, more coiled (3-6 coils) fruits. The spiny-fruited type flowers from late winter to early summer, while the spineless-fruited type flowers in spring. Distinguishing characteristics:Annual herb with creeping stems, with alternate clover-like leaves and spikes of small yellow pea flowers. Fruits are distinctively coiled pods of two types. The spiny-fruited variety is more widespread and is known by the common name ‘burr medic’. A spineless-fruited type is much rarer. Noxious status:Not noxious. Sources:Kleinschmidt, H.E., Holland, A. and Simpson, P. (1996). Suburban Weeds. 3rd Edition. Department of Primary Industries, Brisbane. Stanley, T.E. and Ross, E.M. (1983-1989). Flora of South-eastern Queensland. Volume 1. Department of Primary Industries, Brisbane. |