Medicago littoralis

Medicago littoralis
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Rosids
Order:	Fabales
Family:	Fabaceae
Subfamily:	Faboideae
Genus:	Medicago
Species:	M. littoralis
Binomial name
	Medicago littoralis; Lois
Synonyms
	Medicago arenaria Ten.; Medicago cylindracea DC.; Medicago littoralis subsp. cylindracea (DC.) Nyman; Medicago littoralis subsp. tricycla (DC.) J. M. Lainz; Medicago striata sensu auct.ital.; Medicago subinermis Bertol.; Medicago tricycla DC.; Medicago truncatula subsp. littoralis (Lois.) Ponert;

Medicago littoralis is an annual plant species of the genus Medicago. Its native range encompasses the Mediterranean Basin, from Macaronesia to the Caucasus; it has been introduced elsewhere. It is useful as a forage for livestock. As a leguminous plant, it is capable of adding nitrogen to soils, through its symbiotic relationship with the bacterium Sinorhizobium meliloti, which enables nitrogen fixation. Common names include shore medick,^[1] water medick,^[2] coastal medick, and strand medick.^[3]

Description

Medicago littoralis is a prostrate or procumbent herb, occasionally with an ascending habit.^[3]^[4]

Distribution and habitat

The species has been introduced to Belgium, the US states of Florida and New Jersey, Great Britain, the Netherlands, and to parts of Australia.^[3] It is naturalised in South Australia and considered "alien" but non-invasive in Western Australia.^[5]^[6]

Agricultural uses

'Seraph', is a specially bred variety of M. littoralis, selected for its resistance to powdery mildew and tolerance of sulfonylurea herbicide residues.^[7]

Gallery

seed pods

References

^ BSBI List 2007 (xls). Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland. Archived from the original (xls) on 26 June 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2014.
^ NRCS. "Medicago littoralis". PLANTS Database. United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Retrieved 28 January 2016.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Medicago littoralis Rohde ex Loisel". Plants of the World Online. Kew Science. Retrieved 2 January 2024.
^ Howie, Jake; Lloyd, David (2009), Factsheet – Strand medic, Pastures Australia, Australian Wool Innovation (AWI), Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC), Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA), Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC), Dairy Australia, archived from the original on 16 August 2022, retrieved 3 January 2024 – via Lucid Keys Central
^ "Medicago littoralis – Species Details". Atlas of Florida Plants.
^
- "Fact sheet for Medicago littoralis". The Electronic Flora of South Australia. The State Herbarium of South Australia: Government of South Australia.
- "Medicago littoralis Loisel. Strand Medic". Florabase—the Western Australian Flora. Western Australian Herbarium, Biodiversity and Conservation Science; Government of Western Australia.
^ Peck, David; South Australian Research and Development Institute (28 June 2021). "Strand Medic (Medicago littoralis) Variety: 'Seraph'". Plant Varieties Journal. 34 (1): 297–299. ISSN 1030-9748. (PDF direct download – 5 MB)

External links

International Legume Database & Information Services
"Environmental weed risk assessment" Department of Primary Industries, Government of Western Australia
"Strand medic" Pasture species and varieties. Department of Primary Industries, Government of New South Wales

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[BSBI07-1] BSBI List 2007 (xls). Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland. Archived from the original (xls) on 26 June 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2014.

[2] NRCS. "Medicago littoralis". PLANTS Database. United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Retrieved 28 January 2016.

[powo-3] "Medicago littoralis Rohde ex Loisel". Plants of the World Online. Kew Science. Retrieved 2 January 2024.

[pastures-4] Howie, Jake; Lloyd, David (2009), Factsheet – Strand medic, Pastures Australia, Australian Wool Innovation (AWI), Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC), Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA), Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC), Dairy Australia, archived from the original on 16 August 2022, retrieved 3 January 2024 – via Lucid Keys Central

[5] "Medicago littoralis – Species Details". Atlas of Florida Plants.

[6] 
"Fact sheet for Medicago littoralis". The Electronic Flora of South Australia. The State Herbarium of South Australia: Government of South Australia.
"Medicago littoralis Loisel. Strand Medic". Florabase—the Western Australian Flora. Western Australian Herbarium, Biodiversity and Conservation Science; Government of Western Australia.

[7] "Fact sheet for Medicago littoralis". The Electronic Flora of South Australia. The State Herbarium of South Australia: Government of South Australia.

[8] "Medicago littoralis Loisel. Strand Medic". Florabase—the Western Australian Flora. Western Australian Herbarium, Biodiversity and Conservation Science; Government of Western Australia.

[7] Peck, David; South Australian Research and Development Institute (28 June 2021). "Strand Medic (Medicago littoralis) Variety: 'Seraph'". Plant Varieties Journal. 34 (1): 297–299. ISSN 1030-9748. (PDF direct download – 5 MB)

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