Taxon:  Medicago orbicularis (L.) Bartal.



Summary
Genus:
Medicago
Section:
Orbiculares
Family:
Fabaceae (alt. Leguminosae)
Subfamily:
Faboideae
Tribe:
Trifolieae
Nomen number:
23636
Place of publication:
Cat. piante Siena 60.  1776
Verified:
10/28/1988 ARS Systematic Botanists.
Accessions:
428 (383  active, 364  available) in National Plant Germplasm System.  (Map it)
Other conspecific taxa
Conservation Status

Reference(s)
  1. University of Georgia Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health
  2. Afonin, A. N., S. L. Greene, N. I. Dzyubenko, & A. N. Frolov, eds. Interactive agricultural ecological atlas of Russia and neighboring countries. Economic plants and their diseases, pests and weeds (on-line resource).
  3. Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)
  4. Ali, S. I. & S. M. H. Jafri, eds. 1976-. Flora of Libya.
  5. APHIS. Agricultural Risk Management System United States Department of Agriculture.
  6. Arechavaleta, M. et al., coords. 2009. Lista de especies silvestres de Canarias: hongos, plantas y animales terrestres
  7. Botanical Society of the British Isles. BSBI taxon database (on-line resource).
  8. Davis, P. H., ed. 1965-1988. Flora of Turkey and the east Aegean islands.
  9. Duke, J. A. 1981. Handbook of legumes of world economic importance
  10. Eriksson, O. et al. 1979. Flora of Macaronesia: checklist of vascular plants, ed. 2.
  11. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). 2010. Ecocrop (on-line resource).
  12. Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
  13. Heyn, C. C. 1963. The annual species of Medicago. Scripta Hierosolymitana 12:135.
  14. Hnatiuk, R. J. 1990. Census of Australian vascular plants. Australian Flora and Fauna Series No. 11.
  15. Integrated Botanical Information System (IBIS). Australian plant common name database (on-line resource).
  16. International Seed Testing Association. 1982. A Multilingual Glossary of Common Plant-Names 1. Field crops, grasses and vegetables, ed. 2.
  17. Isely, D. 1998. Native and naturalized Leguminosae (Fabaceae) of the United States (exclusive of Alaska and Hawaii)
  18. Iwatsuki, K. et al. 1993-. Flora of Japan.
  19. Jahandiez, E. & R. Maire. 1931-1941. Catalogue des plantes du Maroc.
  20. Kartesz, J. T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland.
  21. Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
  22. Kumar, S & P. V. Sane. 2003. Legumes of South Asia: a checklist.
  23. Lesins, K. A. & I. Lesins. 1979. Genus Medicago (Leguminosae). A taxogenetic study 79.
  24. Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium. 1976. Hortus third. A concise dictionary of plants cultivated in the United States and Canada
  25. Lock, J. M. & K. Simpson. 1991. Legumes of West Asia: a checklist
  26. Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
  27. Migahid, A. M. 1988-1990. Flora of Saudi Arabia, ed. 3.
  28. Mouterde, P. 1966-. Nouvelle flore du Liban et de la Syrie.
  29. Nasir, E. & S. I. Ali, eds. 1970-. Flora of [West] Pakistan.
  30. Pignatti, S. 1982. Flora d'Italia.
  31. Porcher, M. H. et al. Searchable World Wide Web Multilingual Multiscript Plant Name Database (MMPND) (on-line resource).
  32. Pottier-Alapetite, G. 1979-1981. Flore de la Tunisie: Angiospermes-Dicotyledones.
  33. Quézel, P. & S. Santa. 1962-1963. Nouvelle flore de l'Algerie.
  34. Rechinger, K. H., ed. 1963-. Flora iranica.
  35. Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
  36. Small, E. & M. Jomphe. 1989. A synopsis of the genus Medicago (Leguminosae). Canad. J. Bot. 67:3273.
  37. 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.
  38. Small, E. 1981. A numerical analysis of major groupings in Medicago employing traditionally used characters. Canad. J. Bot. 59:1555.
  39. Smythies, B. E. 1984-1986. Flora of Spain and the Balearic Islands: checklist of vascular plants. Englera 3:1-882.
  40. Täckholm, V. 1974. Students' flora of Egypt, ed. 2.
  41. Thulin, M. 1983. Leguminosae of Ethiopia. Opera Bot. 68:1-223.
  42. Townsend, C. C. & E. Guest. 1966-. Flora of Iraq.
  43. Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
  44. Zohary, M. & N. Feinbrun-Dothan. 1966-. Flora palaestina.
Common names
LanguageNameAlternate namenoteseqCitation
Englishburless clover  1Integrated Botanical Information System (IBIS). Australian plant common name database (on-line resource).
Englishburless trefoil  1Integrated Botanical Information System (IBIS). Australian plant common name database (on-line resource).
Englishbutton medic  1Integrated Botanical Information System (IBIS). Australian plant common name database (on-line resource).
Englishbutton medick  1Botanical Society of the British Isles. BSBI taxon database (on-line resource).
Englishbutton trefoil  1Integrated Botanical Information System (IBIS). Australian plant common name database (on-line resource).
Englishbutton-clover  1Wiersema, J. H. & B. León. 1999. World economic plants: a standard reference CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL.
Englishflat snail-clover  1Integrated Botanical Information System (IBIS). Australian plant common name database (on-line resource).
Englishlarge-disc medic  1Duke, J. A. 1981. Handbook of legumes of world economic importance
Englishsnail trefoil  1Integrated Botanical Information System (IBIS). Australian plant common name database (on-line resource).
Arabicnafal  2Migahid, A. M. 1988-1990. Flora of Saudi Arabia, ed. 3.
Frenchluzerne orbiculaire  2Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
Italianmedico orbicolare  2International Seed Testing Association. 1982. A Multilingual Glossary of Common Plant-Names 1. Field crops, grasses and vegetables, ed. 2.
Japanese Rōmajiuzumaki-umagoyashi  2Iwatsuki, K. et al. 1993-. Flora of Japan.
Spanishmielga de caracolillo  2Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
Swedishhjullusern  2Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)
Distribution
order_codeStatusContinentSubcontinentCountryStateNoteReference
1NativeAfricaMacaronesiaPortugalMadeira Islands Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
1NativeAfricaMacaronesiaSpainCanarias Arechavaleta, M. et al., coords. 2009. Lista de especies silvestres de Canarias: hongos, plantas y animales terrestres
1NativeAfricaNortheast Tropical AfricaEthiopia  Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
1NativeAfricaNorthern AfricaAlgeria  Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
1NativeAfricaNorthern AfricaEgypt  Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
1NativeAfricaNorthern AfricaLibya  Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
1NativeAfricaNorthern AfricaMorocco  Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
1NativeAfricaNorthern AfricaTunisia  Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
1NativeAsia-TemperateCaucasusArmenia  Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
1NativeAsia-TemperateCaucasusAzerbaijan  Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
1NativeAsia-TemperateCaucasusGeorgia  Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
1NativeAsia-TemperateCaucasusRussian FederationDagestan Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
1NativeAsia-TemperateCaucasusRussian Federation-CiscaucasiaCiscaucasia Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
1NativeAsia-TemperateMiddle AsiaKazakhstan s.e.Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
1NativeAsia-TemperateMiddle AsiaKyrgyzstan  Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
1NativeAsia-TemperateMiddle AsiaTajikistan  Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
1NativeAsia-TemperateMiddle AsiaTurkmenistan  Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
1NativeAsia-TemperateMiddle AsiaUzbekistan  Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
1NativeAsia-TemperateWestern AsiaAfghanistan  Rechinger, K. H., ed. 1963-. Flora iranica.
1NativeAsia-TemperateWestern AsiaCyprus  Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
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  Zohary, M. & N. Feinbrun-Dothan. 1966-. Flora palaestina.
1NativeAsia-TemperateWestern AsiaJordan  Zohary, M. & N. Feinbrun-Dothan. 1966-. Flora palaestina.
1NativeAsia-TemperateWestern AsiaLebanon  Mouterde, P. 1966-. Nouvelle flore du Liban et de la Syrie.
1NativeAsia-TemperateWestern AsiaSyria  Mouterde, P. 1966-. Nouvelle flore du Liban et de la Syrie.
1NativeAsia-TemperateWestern AsiaTurkey  Davis, P. H., ed. 1965-1988. Flora of Turkey and the east Aegean islands.
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 SubcontinentPakistan w.Nasir, E. & S. I. Ali, eds. 1970-. Flora of [West] Pakistan.
1NativeEuropeEastern EuropeUkraineKrym Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
1NativeEuropeSoutheastern EuropeAlbania  Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
1NativeEuropeSoutheastern EuropeBulgaria  Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
1NativeEuropeSoutheastern EuropeFormer Yugoslavia  Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
1NativeEuropeSoutheastern EuropeGreece incl. CreteGreuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
1NativeEuropeSoutheastern EuropeItaly incl. Sardinia, SicilyGreuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
1NativeEuropeSoutheastern EuropeRomania  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1NativeEuropeSouthwestern EuropeFrance incl. CorsicaTutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1NativeEuropeSouthwestern EuropePortugal  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1NativeEuropeSouthwestern EuropeSpain incl. BalearesTutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
4NaturalizedAsia-TemperateArabian PeninsulaOman  Lock, J. M. & K. Simpson. 1991. Legumes of West Asia: a checklist
4NaturalizedAsia-TemperateArabian PeninsulaSaudi Arabia  Lock, J. M. & K. Simpson. 1991. Legumes of West Asia: a checklist
4NaturalizedAustralasiaAustraliaAustralia  Hnatiuk, R. J. 1990. Census of Australian vascular plants. Australian Flora and Fauna Series No. 11.
4NaturalizedEuropeMiddle EuropeHungary  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
4NaturalizedNorthern America United States s.Isely, D. 1998. Native and naturalized Leguminosae (Fabaceae) of the United States (exclusive of Alaska and Hawaii)
Native
Africa
  • MACARONESIA: Spain [Canarias], Portugal [Madeira Islands]
  • NORTHERN AFRICA: Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia
  • NORTHEAST TROPICAL AFRICA: Ethiopia
Asia-Temperate
  • WESTERN ASIA: Afghanistan, Cyprus, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey
  • CAUCASUS: Russian Federation-Ciscaucasia [Ciscaucasia], Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Russian Federation [Dagestan]
  • MIDDLE ASIA: Kazakhstan (s.e.), Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan
Asia-Tropical
  • INDIAN SUBCONTINENT: India [Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab], Pakistan (w.)
Europe
  • EASTERN EUROPE: Ukraine [Krym]
  • SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE: Former Yugoslavia, Albania, Bulgaria, Greece (incl. Crete), Italy (incl. Sardinia, Sicily), Romania
  • SOUTHWESTERN EUROPE: Spain (incl. Baleares), France (incl. Corsica), Portugal
Naturalized
Asia-Temperate
  • ARABIAN PENINSULA: Oman, Saudi Arabia
Australasia
  • AUSTRALIA: Australia
Europe
  • MIDDLE EUROPE: Hungary
Northern America
  • REGION: United States (s.)

Reference(s)
  1. Arechavaleta, M. et al., coords. 2009. Lista de especies silvestres de Canarias: hongos, plantas y animales terrestres
  2. Davis, P. H., ed. 1965-1988. Flora of Turkey and the east Aegean islands.
  3. Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
  4. Hnatiuk, R. J. 1990. Census of Australian vascular plants. Australian Flora and Fauna Series No. 11.
  5. Isely, D. 1998. Native and naturalized Leguminosae (Fabaceae) of the United States (exclusive of Alaska and Hawaii)
  6. Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
  7. Kumar, S & P. V. Sane. 2003. Legumes of South Asia: a checklist.
  8. Lock, J. M. & K. Simpson. 1991. Legumes of West Asia: a checklist
  9. Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
  10. Mouterde, P. 1966-. Nouvelle flore du Liban et de la Syrie.
  11. Nasir, E. & S. I. Ali, eds. 1970-. Flora of [West] Pakistan.
  12. Rechinger, K. H., ed. 1963-. Flora iranica.
  13. Townsend, C. C. & E. Guest. 1966-. Flora of Iraq.
  14. Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
  15. Zohary, M. & N. Feinbrun-Dothan. 1966-. Flora palaestina.
Economic Uses
UsageTypeNoteReference
Animal foodforagegrazingDuke, J. A. 1981. Handbook of legumes of world economic importance
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=23636. Accessed 11 May 2026.