Taxon:  Medicago turbinata (L.) All.



Summary
Genus:
Medicago
Section:
Spirocarpos
Subsection:
Pachyspireae
Family:
Fabaceae (alt. Leguminosae)
Subfamily:
Faboideae
Tribe:
Trifolieae
Nomen number:
23713
Place of publication:
Fl. pedem. 1:315.  1785
Comment:
non Medicago turbinata auct. (= M. doliata var. doliata)
Verified:
02/23/1989 ARS Systematic Botanists.
Accessions:
118 (86  active, 85  available) in National Plant Germplasm System.  (Map it)
Other conspecific taxa
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. Davis, P. H., ed. 1965-1988. Flora of Turkey and the east Aegean islands.
  4. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). 2010. Ecocrop (on-line resource).
  5. Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist. Note: treats as "nom. confus." = M. tuberculata (Retz.) Willd.
  6. Heyn, C. C. 1963. The annual species of Medicago. Scripta Hierosolymitana 12:116.
  7. Lesins, K. A. & I. Lesins. 1979. Genus Medicago (Leguminosae). A taxogenetic study 179.
  8. Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist Note: = Medicago tuberculata
  9. Meikle, R. D. 1977-1985. Flora of Cyprus.
  10. Pignatti, S. 1982. Flora d'Italia. Note: = Medicago tuberculata (Retz.) Willd.
  11. Small, E. & M. Jomphe. 1989. A synopsis of the genus Medicago (Leguminosae). Canad. J. Bot. 67:3270.
  12. Small, E. et al. 1981. The taxonomic value of floral characters in tribe Trigonelleae (Leguminosae), with special reference to Medicago. Canad. J. Bot. 59:1581.
  13. Small, E. 1981. A numerical analysis of major groupings in Medicago employing traditionally used characters. Canad. J. Bot. 59:1555.
  14. Small, E. 2011. Alfalfa and relatives. Evolution and classification of Medicago. Alfalfa and relatives: evolution and classification of Medicago 647-657.
  15. Smythies, B. E. 1984-1986. Flora of Spain and the Balearic Islands: checklist of vascular plants. Englera 3:1-882.
  16. Täckholm, V. 1974. Students' flora of Egypt, ed. 2.
  17. Townsend, C. C. & E. Guest. 1966-. Flora of Iraq.
  18. Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
Common names
LanguageNameAlternate namenoteseqCitation
Swedishknöllusern  2Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)
Distribution
order_codeStatusContinentSubcontinentCountryStateNoteReference
1NativeAfricaNorthern AfricaAlgeria n.?Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist Note: = Medicago tuberculata
1NativeAfricaNorthern AfricaEgypt n. (rare)Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist Note: = Medicago tuberculata
1NativeAfricaNorthern AfricaLibya n.e.Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist Note: = Medicago tuberculata
1NativeAfricaNorthern AfricaMorocco rareLock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist Note: = Medicago tuberculata
1NativeAfricaNorthern AfricaTunisia rareLock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist Note: = Medicago tuberculata
1NativeAsia-TemperateWestern AsiaCyprus  Meikle, R. D. 1977-1985. Flora of Cyprus.
1NativeAsia-TemperateWestern AsiaIraq w.Townsend, C. C. & E. Guest. 1966-. Flora of Iraq.
1NativeAsia-TemperateWestern AsiaIsrael  Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist. Note: treats as "nom. confus." = M. tuberculata (Retz.) Willd.
1NativeAsia-TemperateWestern AsiaJordan  Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist. Note: treats as "nom. confus." = M. tuberculata (Retz.) Willd.
1NativeAsia-TemperateWestern AsiaLebanon  Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist. Note: treats as "nom. confus." = M. tuberculata (Retz.) Willd.
1NativeAsia-TemperateWestern AsiaSyria  Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist. Note: treats as "nom. confus." = M. tuberculata (Retz.) Willd.
1NativeAsia-TemperateWestern AsiaTurkey w. & s.Davis, P. H., ed. 1965-1988. Flora of Turkey and the east Aegean islands.
1NativeEuropeSoutheastern EuropeBulgaria  Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist. Note: treats as "nom. confus." = M. tuberculata (Retz.) Willd.
1NativeEuropeSoutheastern EuropeFormer Yugoslavia  Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist. Note: treats as "nom. confus." = M. tuberculata (Retz.) Willd.
1NativeEuropeSoutheastern EuropeGreece incl. CreteGreuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist. Note: treats as "nom. confus." = M. tuberculata (Retz.) Willd.
1NativeEuropeSoutheastern EuropeItaly incl. Sardinia, SicilyGreuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist. Note: treats as "nom. confus." = M. tuberculata (Retz.) Willd.
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 Catalonia, BalearesTutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
Native
Africa
  • NORTHERN AFRICA: Algeria (n.?), Egypt (n. (rare)), Libya (n.e.), Morocco (rare), Tunisia (rare)
Asia-Temperate
  • WESTERN ASIA: Cyprus, Iraq (w.), Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey (w. & s.)
Europe
  • SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE: Former Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, Greece (incl. Crete), Italy (incl. Sardinia, Sicily)
  • SOUTHWESTERN EUROPE: Spain (Catalonia, Baleares), France (incl. Corsica), Portugal

Reference(s)
  1. Davis, P. H., ed. 1965-1988. Flora of Turkey and the east Aegean islands.
  2. Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist. Note: treats as "nom. confus." = M. tuberculata (Retz.) Willd.
  3. Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist Note: = Medicago tuberculata
  4. Meikle, R. D. 1977-1985. Flora of Cyprus.
  5. Townsend, C. C. & E. Guest. 1966-. Flora of Iraq.
  6. Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
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=23713. Accessed 11 May 2026.