|
|
Medicago polymorpha L.=Medicago hispidaFabaceae (Pea Family)EuropeCalifornia Bur-CloverBur-Clover |
March Photo
Plant Characteristics:
Subglabrous annual from branching base, the stems procumbent, 1-4 dm.
long; petioles 1-4 cm. long; lfts. obovate or obcordate, 8-20 mm. long, sharply
denticulate; stipules deeply divided with long acicular teeth; peduncles
slender, 5-25 mm. long 2-5 fld.; fls. 4-5 mm. long, the calyx sparsely villous;
pods coiled 2-3 times, 4-6 mm. in diam., glabrous, with 2-3 rows of spines
arising from a raised ridge and without any furrow between the rows, the spines
usually hooked.
Habitat:
Common in grassy places of most of cismontane Calif.
March-June.
Name:
Greek, medice, name of alfalfa,
since it came to Greece from Medea. (Dale
115). Greek,
poly, many and Greek, morph,
shape. (Jaeger 158,204).
It is not clear to which characteristic of the plant the species name
refers. (my comment).
General:
Common in the study area. Photographed
on the North Star Flats and at 23rd Street.
(my comments).
The most common bur clover in Calif., it was introduced into the State
during the Mission Period. It finds
use as a pasture hay, cover and green-manure crop and as a weed is quite common
in lawns. (Robbins et al. 262-263).
The Cahuilla Indians of the San Jacinto and San Bernardino Mountains and
Colorado Desert harvested the seeds in the spring and early summer.
They were parched, ground, and made into a mush.
(Bean and Saubel 88).
About 50 species of Eurasia and Africa; many important for hay and
forage. (Munz, Flora
So. Calif. 463).
Bur-like fruits lodge in animal fur.
(Hickman, Ed. 637).
Text Ref:
Hickman, Ed. 637; Munz, Flora So.
Calif. 463; Roberts 24.
Photo Ref:
Feb 2 83 # 4,5; April-May 05 # 16.
Identity: by R. De Ruff.
First Found: February 1983.
Computer Ref: Plant Data 79.
No plant specimen
Last edit 5/27/05.
 |
 |
May Photo April Photo