Medicago

{{Short description|Genus of flowering plants in the bean family}} {{About|the plant genus|the biotech company|Medicago Inc.|other uses}} {{Automatic taxobox | image = Medicago sp.jpg | image_caption = Anatomical diagram of ''Medicago'' flowers | display_parents = 2 | taxon = Medicago | authority = L. (1753) | type_species = ''Medicago sativa'' | subdivision_ranks = Species | subdivision = 87–105; see text. | synonyms = {{collapsible list| *''Cochleata'' {{small|Medik. (1787)}} *''Crimaea'' {{small|Vassilcz. (1979)}} *''Diploprion'' {{small|Viv. (1824)}} *''Factorovskya'' {{small|Eig (1927)}} *''Kamiella'' {{small|Vassilcz. (1979)}} *''Lupularia'' {{small|(Serg.) Opiz (1852), nom. superfl.}} *''Lupulina'' {{small|Noulet (1837), nom. superfl.}} *''Medica'' {{small|Mill. (1754)}} *''Medicula'' {{small|Medik. (1787)}} *''Nephromedia'' {{small|Kostel. (1844)}} *''Rhodusia'' {{small|Vassilcz. (1972)}} *''Spirocarpus'' {{small|Opiz (1852)}} *''Trifillum'' {{small|Medik. (1787)}} *''Turukhania'' {{small|Vassilcz. (1979)}}}} | synonyms_ref = <ref name = powo>[https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:331761-2 ''Medicago'' L.] ''Plants of the World Online''. Retrieved 6 September 2023.</ref> }}

'''''Medicago''''' is a genus of flowering plants, commonly known as '''medick''' or '''burclover''', in the legume family (Fabaceae). It contains at least 87 species. The genus name is based on the Latin name for that plant, {{lang|la|medica}}, from {{langx|el|μηδική (πόα)}} Median (grass).

The genus is distributed mainly around the Mediterranean Basin, also extending across temperate Eurasia and sub-Saharan Africa. Its best-known member is alfalfa (''M. sativa''), an important forage crop.

==Description== Most members of the genus are low, creeping herbs, resembling clover, but with burs (hence the common name). However, alfalfa grows to a height of {{convert|1|m|ft|frac=2}}, and tree medick (''M. arborea'') is a shrub. Members of the genus are known to produce bioactive compounds such as medicarpin (a flavonoid) and medicagenic acid (a triterpenoid saponin).<ref name = "Gholami" /> Chromosome numbers in ''Medicago'' range from 2''n'' = 14 to 48.<ref name = "Rosato">{{cite journal |vauthors=Rosato M, Galián JA, Rosselló JA | title = Amplification, contraction and genomic spread of a satellite DNA family (E180) in ''Medicago'' (Fabaceae) and allied genera | journal = Ann Bot | volume = 109 | issue = 4 | pages = 773–82 | year = 2012 | doi = 10.1093/aob/mcr309 | pmid = 22186276 | pmc = 3286279 }}</ref>

{{gallery|mode=packed |Medicago littoralis2.jpg|''Medicago littoralis'' |Medicago granadensis 2.jpg|''Medicago granadensis'' bur }}

==Taxonomy==

The species ''Medicago truncatula'' is a model legume<ref name = "Medicago">{{cite web | url = http://www.medicago.org/ | access-date = 21 November 2008 | title = ''Medicago truncatula'' | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081229224731/http://www.medicago.org/ | archive-date = 29 December 2008}}</ref> due to its relatively small stature, small genome (450–500 Mbp), short generation time (about 3 months), and ability to reproduce both by outcrossing and selfing.

Comprehensive descriptions of the genus are Lesinš and Lesinš 1979<ref name = "Lesinš">{{cite book |vauthors=Lesinš KA, Lesinš I | title = Genus ''Medicago'' (Leguminosae): A Taxogenetic Study | publisher = Dr. W. Junk B. V. Publishers | year = 1979 | location = The Hague, The Netherlands | pages = 132 | isbn = 978-90-6193-598-8 }}</ref> and Small and Jomphe 1989.<ref name = "S&J">{{cite journal |vauthors=Small E, Jomphe M | title = A Synopsis of the Genus ''Medicago'' (Leguminosae) | journal = Can J Bot | volume = 67 | issue = 11 | pages = 3260–94 | year = 1989 | doi = 10.1139/b89-405 | bibcode = 1989CaJB...67.3260S }}</ref> Major collections are SARDI (Australia),<ref name = "SARDI">{{cite web | url = http://www.sardi.sa.gov.au/ | access-date = 21 November 2008 | title = SARDI | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081026034951/http://www.sardi.sa.gov.au/ | archive-date = 26 October 2008}}</ref> USDA-GRIN (United States),<ref name = "GRIN">{{cite web | url = http://www.ars-grin.gov/ | access-date = 21 November 2008 | title = GRIN National Genetic Resources Program | archive-date = 14 August 2009 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090814093722/http://www.ars-grin.gov/sitemapgrin.html }}</ref> ICARDA (Syria),<ref name = "ICARDA">{{cite web | url = http://www.icarda.org/ | access-date = 21 November 2008 | title = ICARDA Sustainable Agriculture for the Dry Areas | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081211213141/http://www.icarda.org/ | archive-date = 11 December 2008}}</ref> and INRA (France).<ref name = "INRA">{{cite web | url = http://www1.montpellier.inra.fr/BRC-MTR/ | access-date = 21 November 2008 | title = INRA | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100731172517/http://www1.montpellier.inra.fr/BRC-MTR/ | archive-date = 31 July 2010}}</ref>

===Species=== The genus contains at least 87 species.<ref name = "S&J" /><ref>Multiple sources: * {{cite web|url=http://www.ildis.org/LegumeWeb|access-date=2008-11-18|title=ILDIS LegumeWeb|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19991007023041/http://www.ildis.org/LegumeWeb/|archive-date=1999-10-07}} * {{cite web|url=http://www.ildis.org/LegumeWeb/6.00/names/npall/npall_445.shtml |access-date=2008-11-18 |title=Genera Containing Currently Accepted Names: Medicago|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080930231937/http://www.ildis.org/LegumeWeb/6.00/names/npall/npall_445.shtml |archive-date=September 30, 2008 }} * {{cite web|url=http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/genform.pl |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19990501235849/http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/genform.pl |archive-date=1999-05-01 |access-date=2008-11-18 |title=Species Nomenclature in GRIN }} * {{cite web|url=http://www.ipni.org/ipni/advPlantNameSearch.do?find_family=&find_genus=Medicago&find_species=&find_infrafamily=&find_infragenus=&find_infraspecies=&find_authorAbbrev=&find_includePublicationAuthors=on&find_includePublicationAuthors=off&find_includeBasionymAuthors=on&find_includeBasionymAuthors=off&find_publicationTitle=&find_isAPNIRecord=on&find_isAPNIRecord=false&find_isGCIRecord=on&find_isGCIRecord=false&find_isIKRecord=on&find_isIKRecord=false&find_rankToReturn=all&output_format=normal&find_sortByFamily=on&find_sortByFamily=off&query_type=by_query&back_page=plantsearch|access-date=2008-11-22|title=IPNI Plant Name Query Results}} * {{cite web|url=http://www.agroatlas.spb.ru/en/content/related/#M|access-date=2008-11-22|title=AgroAtlas - Relatives|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081225182412/http://www.agroatlas.spb.ru/en/content/related/#M|archive-date=2008-12-25}} * {{ITIS|taxon=Medicago|id=183622 |access-date=2009-09-16}} * {{cite web|url=http://www.discoverlife.org/mp/20q?search=Medicago|access-date=2010-05-11|title=Discover Life|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110612032141/http://www.discoverlife.org/mp/20q?search=Medicago|archive-date=2011-06-12}} * {{Cite web|url=http://www.efloras.org/browse.aspx?flora_id=1&name_str=Medicago&btnSearch=Search&chkAllFloras=on|title=eFlora Search Page|website=www.efloras.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.bonap.org/dist%20maps%202009/Medicago.html|title=The Biota of North America Program}}{{Dead link|date=August 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} * {{Cite web |url=http://www.theplantlist.org/tpl/search?q=Medicago |title=The Plant List |access-date=2011-06-27 |archive-date=2019-03-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190326042049/http://www.theplantlist.org/tpl/search?q=Medicago }}</ref>

Recent molecular phylogenic analyses of ''Medicago'' indicate that the sections and subsections defined by Small & Jomphe, as outlined below, are generally polyphyletic.<ref name = "Steele" /><ref name = "Béna1" /><ref name = "Maureira-Butler" /><ref name = phyly>Multiple sources: * {{cite journal |vauthors=Béna G, Lejeune B, Prosperi JM, Olivieri I | title = Molecular phylogenetic approach for studying life-history evolution: the ambiguous example of the genus ''Medicago'' L. | journal = Proc Biol Sci | volume = 265 | issue = 1401 | pages = 1141–1151 | year = 1998 | pmid = 9684377 | pmc = 1689169 | doi = 10.1098/rspb.1998.0410 }} * {{cite journal |vauthors=Downie SR, Katz-Downie DS, Rogers EJ, Zujewski HL, Small E | title = Multiple independent losses of the plastid ''rpoC1'' intron in ''Medicago'' (Fabaceae) as inferred from phylogenetic analyses of nuclear ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer sequences | journal = Can J Bot | volume = 76 | issue = 5 | pages = 791–803 | year = 1998 | doi = 10.1139/b98-047 | bibcode = 1998CaJB...76..791D }} * {{cite journal |vauthors=Béna G, Prosperi JM, Lejeune B, Olivieri I | title = Evolution of annual species of the genus ''Medicago'': a molecular phylogenetic approach | journal = Mol Phylogenet Evol | volume = 9 | issue = 3 | pages = 552–559 | year = 1998 | doi = 10.1006/mpev.1998.0493 | pmid = 9668004 | bibcode = 1998MolPE...9..552B }} * {{cite journal | author = Béna G. | title = Molecular phylogeny supports the morphologically based taxonomic transfer of the "medicagoid" ''Trigonella'' species to the genus ''Medicago'' L. | journal = Plant Syst Evol | volume = 229 | issue = 3–4 | pages = 217–236 | year = 2001 | doi = 10.1007/s006060170012 | bibcode = 2001PSyEv.229..217B | s2cid = 42887106 }} * {{cite journal |vauthors=Yoder JB, Briskine R, Mudge J, Farmer A, Paape T, Steele K, Weiblen GD, Bharti AK, Zhou P, May GD, Young ND, Tiffin P | title = Phylogenetic signal variation in the genomes of Medicago (Fabaceae) | journal = Syst Biol | volume = 62 | issue = 3 | pages = 424–38 | year = 2013 | doi = 10.1093/sysbio/syt009 | pmid = 23417680 | doi-access = free }}</ref> However, with minor revisions sections and subsections could be rendered monophyletic.<ref name = "Maureira-Butler" /><ref name = phyly/>

====Section Buceras====

=====Subsection Deflexae===== * ''Medicago retrorsa'' (Boiss.) E. Small

=====Subsection Erectae===== * ''Medicago arenicola'' (Huber-Mor.) E. Small * ''Medicago astroites'' (Fisch. & Mey.) Trautv. * ''Medicago carica'' (Huber-Mor.) E. Small * ''Medicago crassipes'' (Boiss.) E. Small * ''Medicago fischeriana'' (Ser.) Trautv. * ''Medicago halophila'' (Boiss.) E. Small * ''Medicago heldreichii'' (Boiss.) E. Small * ''Medicago medicaginoides'' (Retz.) E. Small * ''Medicago monantha'' (C. A. Meyer) Trautv. * ''Medicago orthoceras'' (Kar. & Kir.) Trautv. * ''Medicago pamphylica'' (Huber-Mor. & Sirjaev) E. Small * ''Medicago persica'' (Boiss.) E. Small * ''Medicago phrygia'' (Boiss. & Bal.) E. Small * ''Medicago polyceratia'' (L.) Trautv. * ''Medicago rigida'' (Boiss. & Bal.) E. Small

=====Subsection Isthmocarpae===== * ''Medicago rhytidiocarpa'' (Boiss. & Bal.) E. Small * ''Medicago isthmocarpa'' (Boiss. & Bal.) E. Small

=====Subsection Reflexae===== * ''Medicago monspeliaca'' (L.) Trautv.

====Section Carstiensae==== * ''Medicago carstiensis'' Wulf.

====Section Dendrotelis==== * ''Medicago arborea'' L. * ''Medicago citrina'' (Font Quer) Greuter{{#tag:ref | Some sources treat ''Medicago citrina'' as a synonym of ''Medicago arborea''. | group = Note | name = citrina }} * ''Medicago strasseri'' Greuter, Matthas & Risse

====Section Geocarpa==== * ''Medicago hypogaea'' E. Small

====Section Heynianae==== * ''Medicago heyniana'' Greuter

====Section Hymenocarpos==== * ''Medicago radiata'' L.

====Section Lunatae==== * ''Medicago biflora'' (Griseb.) E. Small * ''Medicago brachycarpa'' M. Bieb. * ''Medicago huberi'' E. Small * ''Medicago rostrata'' (Boiss. & Bal.) E. Small

====Section Lupularia==== * ''Medicago lupulina'' L. * ''Medicago secundiflora'' Durieu

====Section Medicago{{anchor|SectioMedicago}}==== * ''Medicago cancellata'' M. Bieb. * ''Medicago daghestanica'' Rupr. * ''Medicago hybrida'' (Pourr.) Trautv. * ''Medicago marina'' L. * ''Medicago papillosa'' Boiss. ** ''M. p. macrocarpa'' ** ''M. p. papillosa'' * ''Medicago pironae'' Vis. * ''Medicago prostrata'' Jacq. ** ''M. p. prostrata'' ** ''M. p. pseudorupestris'' * ''Medicago rhodopea'' Velen. * ''Medicago rupestris'' M. Bieb * ''Medicago sativa'' L. (alfalfa) ** ''M. s. caerulea'' ** ''M. s. falcata ''(''Medicago falcata'') *** ''M. s. f.'' var. ''falcata'' *** ''M. s. f. ''var. ''viscosa'' ** ''M. s. glomerata'' ** ''M. s. sativa'' * ''Medicago saxatilis'' M. Bieb * ''Medicago suffruticosa'' Ramond ex DC. **''M. s. leiocarpa'' **''M. s. suffruticosa''

====Section Orbiculares==== * ''Medicago orbicularis'' (L.) Bart.

====Section Platycarpae==== * ''Medicago archiducis-nicolai'' Sirjaev * ''Medicago cretacea'' M. Bieb. * ''Medicago edgeworthii'' Sirjaev * ''Medicago ovalis'' (Boiss.) Sirjaev * ''Medicago playtcarpa'' (L.) Trautv. * ''Medicago plicata'' (Boiss.) Sirjaev * ''Medicago popovii'' (E. Kor.) Sirjaev * ''Medicago ruthenica'' (L.) Ledebour

=====Subsection Rotatae===== * ''Medicago blancheana'' Boiss. * ''Medicago noeana'' Boiss. * ''Medicago rotata'' Boiss. * ''Medicago rugosa'' Desr. * ''Medicago scutellata'' (L.) Miller * ''Medicago shepardii'' Post

====Section Spirocarpos====

=====Subsection Intertextae===== * ''Medicago ciliaris'' (L.) Krocker * ''Medicago granadensis'' Willd. * ''Medicago intertexta'' (L.) Miller * ''Medicago muricoleptis'' Tin.

=====Subsection Leptospireae===== * ''Medicago arabica'' (L.) Huds. * ''Medicago coronata'' (L.) Bart. * ''Medicago disciformis'' DC. * ''Medicago laciniata'' (L.) Miller * ''Medicago lanigera'' Winkl. & Fedtsch. * ''Medicago laxispira'' Heyn * ''Medicago minima'' (L.) Bart. * ''Medicago polymorpha'' L. * ''Medicago praecox'' DC. * ''Medicago sauvagei'' Nègre * ''Medicago tenoreana'' Ser.

=====Subsection Pachyspireae===== * ''Medicago constricta'' Durieu * ''Medicago doliata'' Carmign. * ''Medicago italica'' (Miller) Fiori * ''Medicago lesinsii'' E. Small * ''Medicago littoralis'' Rohde ex Lois. * ''Medicago murex'' Willd. * ''Medicago rigidula'' (L.) All. * ''Medicago rigiduloides'' E. Small * ''Medicago sinskiae'' Uljanova{{#tag:ref | The validity of ''Medicago sinskiae'' has been questioned by Small and Jomphe, 1988.<ref name = "S&J" /> | group = Note | name = sinskiae }} * ''Medicago soleirolii'' Duby * ''Medicago sphaerocarpos'' Bertol.<ref name="Gillespie">{{cite journal |vauthors=Gillespie DJ, McComb JA | title = Morphology and distribution of species in the ''Medicago murex'' complex | journal = Can J Bot | volume = 69 | issue = 12 | pages = 2655–2662 | year = 1991 | doi = 10.1139/b91-333 | bibcode = 1991CaJB...69.2655G }}</ref> * ''Medicago syriaca'' E. Small * ''Medicago truncatula'' Gaertn. * ''Medicago turbinata'' (L.) All.

====Species names with uncertain taxonomic status==== The status of the following species is unresolved:<ref name = "S&J" />  * ''Medicago agropyretorum'' Vassilcz. * ''Medicago alatavica'' Vassilcz.   * ''Medicago caucasica'' Vassilcz. * ''Medicago cyrenaea'' Maire & Weiller * ''Medicago difalcata'' Sinskaya     * ''Medicago grossheimii'' Vassilcz. * ''Medicago gunibica'' Vassilcz. * ''Medicago hemicoerulea'' Sinskaya   * ''Medicago karatschaica'' (A. Heller) A. Heller * ''Medicago komarovii'' Vassilcz.  * ''Medicago meyeri'' Gruner  * ''Medicago polychroa'' Grossh.  * ''Medicago schischkinii'' Sumnev. * ''Medicago talyschensis'' Latsch.  * ''Medicago transoxana'' Vassilcz.  * ''Medicago tunetana'' (Murb.) A.W. Hill * ''Medicago vardanis'' Vassilcz. * ''Medicago virescens'' Grossh. {{div col end}}

===Evolution=== ''Medicago'' diverged from ''Glycine'' (soybean) about 53–55 million years ago (in the early Eocene),<ref name="Cannon">{{cite book | author = Cannon S. | editor = Stacey G | title = Genetics and Genomics of Soybean | url = https://www.springer.com/life+sciences/plant+sciences/book/978-0-387-72298-6 | series = Plant Genetics and Genomics: Crops and Models | volume = II | year = 2008 | publisher = Springer | location = New York, NY | isbn = 978-0-387-72298-6 | page = 38 | chapter = 3. Legume Comparative Genomics | chapter-url = http://ddr.nal.usda.gov/bitstream/10113/17513/1/IND44083204.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110814101113/https://ddr.nal.usda.gov/bitstream/10113/17513/1/IND44083204.pdf|archive-date=2011-08-14}}</ref> from ''Lotus'' (deervetch) 49–51 million years ago (also in the Eocene),<ref name = "Cannon" /> and from ''Trigonella'' 10–22 million years ago (in the Miocene).<ref name = "Maureira-Butler">{{cite journal |vauthors=Maureira Butler IJ, Pfeil BE, Muangprom A, Osborn TC, Doyle JJ | title = The reticulate history of ''Medicago'' (Fabaceae) | journal = Syst Biol | volume = 57 | issue = 6 | pages = 466–482 | year = 2008 | pmid = 18570039 | doi = 10.1080/10635150802172168 | doi-access = free }}</ref>

===Etymology=== The genus name is based on the Latin name for alfalfa, {{lang|la|medica}}, from {{langx|el|μηδική (πόα)}} Median (grass).<ref>''New Oxford American Dictionary'' (2nd ed., 2005), p. 1054, s.v. ''medick''.</ref>

==Distribution and habitat== The genus is distributed mainly around the Mediterranean Basin,<ref name = "Steele">{{cite journal |vauthors=Steele KP, Ickert-Bond SM, Zarre S, Wojciechowski MF | title = Phylogeny and character evolution in ''Medicago'' (Leguminosae): Evidence from analyses of plastid ''trnK''/''matK'' and nuclear ''GA3ox1'' sequences | journal = Am J Bot | volume = 97 | issue = 7 | pages = 1142–1155 | year = 2010 | pmid = 21616866 | doi = 10.3732/ajb.1000009 | doi-access = free | bibcode = 2010AmJB...97.1142S }}</ref><ref name = "Gholami">{{cite journal |vauthors=Gholami A, De Geyter N, Pollier J, Goormachtig S, Goossens A | title = Natural product biosynthesis in ''Medicago'' species | journal = Natural Product Reports | year = 2014 | volume = 31 | issue = 3 | pages = 356–380 | pmid = 24481477 | doi = 10.1039/C3NP70104B }}</ref> also extending across temperate Eurasia and sub-Saharan Africa.<ref name = powo/>

==Ecology== ===Symbiosis with nitrogen-fixing rhizobia=== Béna ''et al.'' (2005) constructed a molecular phylogeny of 23 ''Sinorhizobium'' strains and tested the symbiotic ability of six strains with 35 ''Medicago'' species.<ref name = "Béna1">{{cite journal |vauthors=Béna G, Lyet A, Huguet T, Olivier I | title = ''Medicago''–''Sinorhizobium'' symbiotic specificity evolution and the geographic expansion of ''Medicago'' | journal = J. Evol. Biol. | volume = 18 | issue = 6 | pages = 1547–58 | year = 2005 | pmid = 16313467 | doi = 10.1111/j.1420-9101.2005.00952.x | s2cid = 24813001 | doi-access = free }}</ref> Comparison of these phylogenies indicates many transitions in the compatibility of the association over evolutionary time. Furthermore, they propose that the geographical distribution of strains limits the distribution of particular ''Medicago'' species.

===Insect herbivores=== ''Medicago'' species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including the common swift, flame, latticed heath, lime-speck pug, nutmeg, setaceous Hebrew character, and turnip moths and case-bearers of the genus ''Coleophora'', including ''C. frischella'' (recorded on ''M. sativa'') and ''C. fuscociliella'' (feeds exclusively on ''Medicago'' spp.).{{Citation needed | date = September 2007 }}

==Agricultural uses== Agronomic research has been conducted on ''Medicago'' species. Other than its best-known member, alfalfa,<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.ars-grin.gov/npgs/cgc_reports/alfalfa/alfalfacgc2000.htm |title=Alfalfa Crop Germplasm Committee Report, 2000 |access-date=2009-11-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090505235641/http://www.ars-grin.gov/npgs/cgc_reports/alfalfa/alfalfacgc2000.htm |archive-date=2009-05-05 }}</ref> several of the prostrate members of the family (such as ''M. lupulina'' and ''M. truncatula'') have been used as forage crops.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://extension.msstate.edu/content/black-medic-medicago-lupulina|title=Black Medic (''Medicago lupulina'') {{!}} Mississippi State University Extension Service|website=extension.msstate.edu|access-date=2024-08-07|archive-date=2024-08-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240807125318/http://extension.msstate.edu/content/black-medic-medicago-lupulina}}</ref> Select species in the Medicago genus naturally develop spiney pods during the reproductive phase of growth (such as ''M. intertexta'' and ''M. polymorpha''). Despite having high levels of agronomic performance, these are typically viewed as undesirable in sheep based farming systems due to their ability to become lodged in wool, reducing fleece value.<ref>{{cite web|title=Naturalised pasture legumes|author=Belinda Hackney|author2=Dr Brian Dear|author3=Graham Crocker|url=https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/176688/Naturalised-pasture-legumes.pdf |website=primefacts|publisher=NSW DPI}}</ref> Breeding efforts in the 1990s have yielded spineless varieties of ''burr medic'', providing valuable production amongst farming systems in low rainfall (<300mm annual), free draining, alkaline soils.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://keys.lucidcentral.org/keys/v3/pastures/Html/Spineless_burr_medic.htm|title=Factsheet - Spineless burr medic|website=keys.lucidcentral.org}}</ref>

==Notes== {{Reflist|group=Note}}

==References== {{Reflist|2}}

==External links== *{{Commons inline|italic=on}} *{{Wikispecies inline|Medicago|''Medicago''}}

Category:Medicago Category:Plant models Category:Fabaceae genera Category:Botanical taxa named by Carl Linnaeus