Herbs: shoots pubescent, hairs eglandular. Stems procumbent to ascending. Stipules: margins deeply dentate to laciniate. Leaflets: blades obovate to oblong-cuneate, 5–10 × 2–5 mm, margins laciniate, incised-dentate, incised-pinnatifid, or serrate to deeply serrate on distal 1/2, laciniate and non-laciniate leaves often on same plant. Inflorescences 1- or 2(or 3)-flowered, racemes. Flowers 3–6(–8) mm; calyx pubescent, hairs eglandular, lobes shorter than tube; corolla pale to dark yellow, less than 2 times length of calyx. Legumes with 3–7(–9) coils, short-cylindrical, spherical, or ovoid, 3–8(–10) × 2.5–6 mm, usually gla­brous or glabrescent, rarely pubescent with eglandular hairs, very rarely with glandular hairs, margin prickly, prickles often relatively thin and flexible, base 2-rooted, 1 root arising in dorsal suture, other in submarginal vein; faces soft, coil face with S-shaped (sigmoid) radial veins, some branched, that enter broad lateral vein near dorsal suture, veinless area occupying outer 1/5 of coil face. Seeds 3–14, yellow to yellow-brown, reniform, 2–3 × 1–1.5 mm; radicle 1/2–2/3 seed length. 2n = 16.

Phenology: Flowering spring–early summer.
Habitat: Dry habitats, woodlands, grasslands, fallow fields.
Elevation: 0–300 m.

Distribution

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Ont., La., Maine, Mass., N.Y., S.C., Asia, Africa, introduced also in Australia.

Discussion

Laciniate leaves occur sporadically in several annual species of Medicago, most frequently in M. laciniata.

Medicago laciniata is an exceptionally drought-tolerant species and in its natural habitat occurs particu­larly in dry, stony deserts and less commonly in wood­lands and grasslands.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.