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Medicago littoralis

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Medicago littoralis
Scientific classification Edit this 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

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

Distribution and habitat

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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

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

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References

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  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. ^ USDA, NRCS (n.d.). "​Medicago littoralis​". The PLANTS Database (plants.usda.gov). Greensboro, North Carolina: National Plant Data Team. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  3. ^ a b c "Medicago littoralis Rohde ex Loisel". Plants of the World Online. Kew Science. Retrieved 2 January 2024.
  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. ^
  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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