Medicago
Sign in to savethumb|Anatomical diagram of Medicago flowers. Medicago is a genus of flowering plants, commonly known as medick or burclover, in the legume family (Fabaceae). It contains at least 87 species and is distributed mainly around the Mediterranean Basin, and extending across temperate Eurasia and sub-Saharan Africa. The best-known member of the genus is alfalfa (M. sativa), an important forage crop, and the genus name is based on the Latin name for that plant, , from Median (grass). Most members of the genus are low, creeping herbs, resembling clover, but with burs (hence the common name). However,
AI overview
Medicago is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family, commonly known as medick or burclover, that includes at least 87 species found mainly around the Mediterranean and across temperate regions. The genus is most notable for containing alfalfa, one of the world's most important forage crops used for feeding livestock.
AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.
Taxonomy · GBIF
Black Medick
GENUS
- KingdomPlantae
- PhylumTracheophyta
- ClassMagnoliopsida
- OrderFabales
- FamilyFabaceae
Observations87,488
Groupplantae
via GBIF · iNaturalist · CC0
Article
29 sectionsContents
- Evolution
- Ecological interactions with other organisms
- Symbiosis with nitrogen-fixing rhizobia
- Agricultural uses
- Insect herbivores
- Species
- Section Buceras
- Subsection Deflexae
- Subsection Erectae
- Subsection Isthmocarpae
- Subsection Reflexae
- Section Carstiensae
- Section Dendrotelis
- Section Geocarpa
- Section Heynianae
- Section Hymenocarpos
- Section Lunatae
- Section Lupularia
- Section Medicago{{anchor|SectioMedicago}}
- Section Orbiculares
- Section Platycarpae
- Subsection Rotatae
- Section Spirocarpos
- Subsection Intertextae
- Subsection Leptospireae
- Subsection Pachyspireae
- Species names with uncertain taxonomic status
- Notes
- References
thumb|Anatomical diagram of Medicago flowers. Medicago is a genus of flowering plants, commonly known as medick or burclover, in the legume family (Fabaceae). It contains at least 87 species and is distributed mainly around the Mediterranean Basin, and extending across temperate Eurasia and sub-Saharan Africa. The best-known member of the genus is alfalfa (M. sativa), an important forage crop, and the genus name is based on the Latin name for that plant, , from Median (grass). 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 1 meter, 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). Chromosome numbers in Medicago range from 2n = 14 to 48.
The species Medicago truncatula is a model legume 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.