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Medicago littoralis

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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 – via Lucid Keys Central Archived 16 August 2022 at the Wayback Machine
  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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