Taxon:  Medicago laciniata (L.) Mill.



Summary
Genus:
Medicago
Section:
Spirocarpos
Subsection:
Leptospireae
Family:
Fabaceae (alt. Leguminosae)
Subfamily:
Faboideae
Tribe:
Trifolieae
Nomen number:
23607
Place of publication:
Gard. dict. ed. 8: Medicago no. 5.  1768
Verified:
06/08/1987 ARS Systematic Botanists.
Accessions:
155 (139  active, 136  available) in National Plant Germplasm System.  (Map it)
Other conspecific taxa
Autonyms (not in current use), synonyms and invalid designations
Basionym
Medicago polymorpha L. var. laciniata L.

Autonym(s)
Medicago laciniata (L.) Mill. subsp. laciniata
Medicago laciniata (L.) Mill. var. laciniata

Heterotypic Synonym(s)
Medicago aschersoniana Urb.
Medicago laciniata (L.) Mill. subsp. schimperiana P. Fourn.
Medicago laciniata (L.) Mill. var. brachyacantha Boiss.

Images (1 total. Click on image for more.)
Fruit

Conservation Status

Reference(s)
  1. Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)
  2. Ali, S. I. & S. M. H. Jafri, eds. 1976-. Flora of Libya.
  3. Arechavaleta, M. et al., coords. 2009. Lista de especies silvestres de Canarias: hongos, plantas y animales terrestres
  4. Badri, M. et al. 2007. Quantitative and molecular genetic variation in sympatric populations of Medicago laciniata and M. truncatula (Fabaceae): relationships with eco-geographical factors. Genet. Res. 89:107-122.
  5. Botanical Society of the British Isles. BSBI taxon database (on-line resource).
  6. Eriksson, O. et al. 1979. Flora of Macaronesia: checklist of vascular plants, ed. 2.
  7. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). 2010. Ecocrop (on-line resource).
  8. Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa.
  9. Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
  10. Heyn, C. C. 1963. The annual species of Medicago. Scripta Hierosolymitana 12:55.
  11. Hnatiuk, R. J. 1990. Census of Australian vascular plants. Australian Flora and Fauna Series No. 11.
  12. Integrated Botanical Information System (IBIS). Australian plant common name database (on-line resource).
  13. Jahandiez, E. & R. Maire. 1931-1941. Catalogue des plantes du Maroc.
  14. Kumar, S & P. V. Sane. 2003. Legumes of South Asia: a checklist.
  15. Lesins, K. A. & I. Lesins. 1979. Genus Medicago (Leguminosae). A taxogenetic study 187.
  16. Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
  17. Mouterde, P. 1966-. Nouvelle flore du Liban et de la Syrie.
  18. Nasir, E. & S. I. Ali, eds. 1970-. Flora of [West] Pakistan.
  19. Pottier-Alapetite, G. 1979-1981. Flore de la Tunisie: Angiospermes-Dicotyledones.
  20. Quézel, P. & S. Santa. 1962-1963. Nouvelle flore de l'Algerie.
  21. Rechinger, K. H., ed. 1963-. Flora iranica.
  22. Small, E. & M. Jomphe. 1989. A synopsis of the genus Medicago (Leguminosae). Canad. J. Bot. 67:3271.
  23. Small, E. et al. 1981. The taxonomic value of floral characters in tribe Trigonelleae (Leguminosae), with special reference to Medicago. Canad. J. Bot. 59:1580.
  24. Small, E. 1981. A numerical analysis of major groupings in Medicago employing traditionally used characters. Canad. J. Bot. 59:1555.
  25. Täckholm, V. 1974. Students' flora of Egypt, ed. 2.
  26. Thulin, M. 1983. Leguminosae of Ethiopia. Opera Bot. 68:1-223.
  27. Townsend, C. C. & E. Guest. 1966-. Flora of Iraq.
  28. Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa.
  29. Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
  30. Yakovlev, G. P. et al. 1996. Legumes of Northern Eurasia
  31. Zohary, M. & N. Feinbrun-Dothan. 1966-. Flora palaestina.
Common names
LanguageNameAlternate namenoteseqCitation
Englishcut-leaf medic  1Integrated Botanical Information System (IBIS). Australian plant common name database (on-line resource).
Englishtattered medick  1Botanical Society of the British Isles. BSBI taxon database (on-line resource).
Swedishtraslusern  2Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)
Distribution
order_codeStatusContinentSubcontinentCountryStateNoteReference
1NativeAfricaEast Tropical AfricaKenya  Heyn, C. C. 1963. The annual species of Medicago. Scripta Hierosolymitana 12:55.
1NativeAfricaEast Tropical AfricaTanzania  Heyn, C. C. 1963. The annual species of Medicago. Scripta Hierosolymitana 12:55.
1NativeAfricaMacaronesiaPortugalMadeira Islands Heyn, C. C. 1963. The annual species of Medicago. Scripta Hierosolymitana 12:55.
1NativeAfricaMacaronesiaSpainCanarias Arechavaleta, M. et al., coords. 2009. Lista de especies silvestres de Canarias: hongos, plantas y animales terrestres
1NativeAfricaNortheast Tropical AfricaEthiopia  Thulin, M. 1983. Leguminosae of Ethiopia. Opera Bot. 68:1-223.
1NativeAfricaNortheast Tropical AfricaSomalia n.Townsend, C. C. & E. Guest. 1966-. Flora of Iraq.
1NativeAfricaNorthern AfricaAlgeria  Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
1NativeAfricaNorthern AfricaEgypt  Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
1NativeAfricaNorthern AfricaLibya  Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
1NativeAfricaNorthern AfricaMorocco  Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
1NativeAfricaNorthern AfricaTunisia  Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
1NativeAsia-TemperateArabian PeninsulaBahrain  Townsend, C. C. & E. Guest. 1966-. Flora of Iraq.
1NativeAsia-TemperateArabian PeninsulaKuwait  Townsend, C. C. & E. Guest. 1966-. Flora of Iraq.
1NativeAsia-TemperateArabian PeninsulaSaudi Arabia  Heyn, C. C. 1963. The annual species of Medicago. Scripta Hierosolymitana 12:55.
1NativeAsia-TemperateWestern AsiaAfghanistan e.Rechinger, K. H., ed. 1963-. Flora iranica.
1NativeAsia-TemperateWestern AsiaEgyptSinai Townsend, C. C. & E. Guest. 1966-. Flora of Iraq.
1NativeAsia-TemperateWestern AsiaIran  Rechinger, K. H., ed. 1963-. Flora iranica.
1NativeAsia-TemperateWestern AsiaIraq  Townsend, C. C. & E. Guest. 1966-. Flora of Iraq.
1NativeAsia-TemperateWestern AsiaIsrael  Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
1NativeAsia-TemperateWestern AsiaJordan  Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
1NativeAsia-TemperateWestern AsiaSyria s.Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentIndiaGujarat Kumar, S & P. V. Sane. 2003. Legumes of South Asia: a checklist.
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentIndiaJammu and Kashmir Kumar, S & P. V. Sane. 2003. Legumes of South Asia: a checklist.
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentIndiaPunjab Kumar, S & P. V. Sane. 2003. Legumes of South Asia: a checklist.
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentIndiaRajasthan Kumar, S & P. V. Sane. 2003. Legumes of South Asia: a checklist.
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentIndiaUttar Pradesh Kumar, S & P. V. Sane. 2003. Legumes of South Asia: a checklist.
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentPakistan  Rechinger, K. H., ed. 1963-. Flora iranica.
4NaturalizedAfricaSouthern AfricaNamibia  Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
4NaturalizedAfricaSouthern AfricaSouth Africa  Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa.
4NaturalizedAustralasiaAustraliaAustralia  Hnatiuk, R. J. 1990. Census of Australian vascular plants. Australian Flora and Fauna Series No. 11.
4NaturalizedEuropeEastern EuropeEstonia  Yakovlev, G. P. et al. 1996. Legumes of Northern Eurasia
4NaturalizedEuropeEastern EuropeUkraine  Yakovlev, G. P. et al. 1996. Legumes of Northern Eurasia
4NaturalizedEuropeSoutheastern EuropeItaly  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
4NaturalizedEuropeSouthwestern EuropeFrance incl. CorsicaGreuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
4NaturalizedEuropeSouthwestern EuropeSpain  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
Native
Africa
  • MACARONESIA: Spain [Canarias], Portugal [Madeira Islands]
  • NORTHERN AFRICA: Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia
  • NORTHEAST TROPICAL AFRICA: Ethiopia, Somalia (n.)
  • EAST TROPICAL AFRICA: Kenya, Tanzania
Asia-Temperate
  • ARABIAN PENINSULA: Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia
  • WESTERN ASIA: Afghanistan (e.), Egypt [Sinai], Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Syria (s.)
Asia-Tropical
  • INDIAN SUBCONTINENT: India [Gujarat, Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh], Pakistan
Naturalized
Africa
  • SOUTHERN AFRICA: Namibia, South Africa
Australasia
  • AUSTRALIA: Australia
Europe
  • EASTERN EUROPE: Estonia, Ukraine
  • SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE: Italy
  • SOUTHWESTERN EUROPE: Spain, France (incl. Corsica)

Reference(s)
  1. Arechavaleta, M. et al., coords. 2009. Lista de especies silvestres de Canarias: hongos, plantas y animales terrestres
  2. Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa.
  3. Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
  4. Heyn, C. C. 1963. The annual species of Medicago. Scripta Hierosolymitana 12:55.
  5. Hnatiuk, R. J. 1990. Census of Australian vascular plants. Australian Flora and Fauna Series No. 11.
  6. Kumar, S & P. V. Sane. 2003. Legumes of South Asia: a checklist.
  7. Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
  8. Rechinger, K. H., ed. 1963-. Flora iranica.
  9. Thulin, M. 1983. Leguminosae of Ethiopia. Opera Bot. 68:1-223.
  10. Townsend, C. C. & E. Guest. 1966-. Flora of Iraq.
  11. Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
  12. Yakovlev, G. P. et al. 1996. Legumes of Northern Eurasia
Cite as: USDA, Agricultural Research Service, National Plant Germplasm System. 2026. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN Taxonomy). National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland.
URL: https://npgstest.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomydetail?id=23607. Accessed 17 April 2026.