Taxon:  Biserrula pelecinus L.



Summary
Genus:
Biserrula
Family:
Fabaceae (alt. Leguminosae)
Subfamily:
Faboideae
Tribe:
Galegeae
Subtribe:
Astragalinae
Nomen number:
7246
Place of publication:
Sp. pl. 2:762.  1753
Verified:
03/14/2002 ARS Systematic Botanists.
Accessions:
18 (12  active, 9  available) in National Plant Germplasm System.  (Map it)
Other conspecific taxa
Autonyms (not in current use), synonyms and invalid designations
Homotypic Synonym(s)
Astragalus pelecinus (L.) Barneby

No images


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. Banik, B. K. et al. 2013. Variability of in vitro ruminal fermentation and methanogenic potenial in the pasture legume biserrula (Biserrula pelecinus L.). Crop Pasture Sci. 64:409-416. Note: recognized as an important pasture legume in southern Australia
  5. Barneby, R. C. 1964. Atlas of North American Astragalus. Part I. The Phacoid and Homaloboid Astragali. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 13:26. Note: = Astragalus pelecinus (L.) Barneby
  6. Davis, P. H., ed. 1965-1988. Flora of Turkey and the east Aegean islands.
  7. Eriksson, O. et al. 1979. Flora of Macaronesia: checklist of vascular plants, ed. 2.
  8. Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource). Note: = Astragalus pelecinus (L.) Barneby
  9. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). 2010. Ecocrop (on-line resource).
  10. Hanelt, P., ed. 2001. Mansfeld's encyclopedia of agricultural and horticultural crops. Volumes 1-6
  11. Howieson, J. G. et al. 1995. Biserrula pelecinus L. - a legume pasture species with potential for acid, duplex soils which is nodulated by unique root-nodule bacteria. Austral. J. Agric. Res. 46(5):997-1009.
  12. Jahandiez, E. & R. Maire. 1931-1941. Catalogue des plantes du Maroc.
  13. Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist Note: = Astragalus pelecinus (L.) Barneby
  14. Meikle, R. D. 1977-1985. Flora of Cyprus. Note: = Astragalus pelecinus (L.) Barneby
  15. Mouterde, P. 1966-. Nouvelle flore du Liban et de la Syrie.
  16. Pottier-Alapetite, G. 1979-1981. Flore de la Tunisie: Angiospermes-Dicotyledones.
  17. Quézel, P. & S. Santa. 1962-1963. Nouvelle flore de l'Algerie.
  18. Thulin, M. 1983. Leguminosae of Ethiopia. Opera Bot. 68:1-223.
  19. Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa.
  20. Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
  21. Wojciechowski, M. F. et al. 1999. Evidence on the monophyly of Astragalus (Fabaceae) and its major subgroups based on nuclear ribosomal DNA ITS and chloroplast DNA trnL intron data. Syst. Bot. 24:409-437. Note: an outlying species not forming part of Astragalus s.str., based on molecular evidence
  22. Zohary, M. & N. Feinbrun-Dothan. 1966-. Flora palaestina.
Common names
LanguageNameAlternate namenoteseqCitation
Swedishsågväppling  2Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)
Distribution
order_codeStatusContinentSubcontinentCountryStateNoteReference
1NativeAfricaEast Tropical AfricaTanzania n.Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist Note: = Astragalus pelecinus (L.) Barneby
1NativeAfricaMacaronesiaPortugalMadeira Islands Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist Note: = Astragalus pelecinus (L.) Barneby
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 Note: = Astragalus pelecinus (L.) Barneby
1NativeAfricaNortheast Tropical AfricaSudan  Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist Note: = Astragalus pelecinus (L.) Barneby
1NativeAfricaNorthern AfricaAlgeria  Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist Note: = Astragalus pelecinus (L.) Barneby
1NativeAfricaNorthern AfricaLibya n.e.Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist Note: = Astragalus pelecinus (L.) Barneby
1NativeAfricaNorthern AfricaMorocco  Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist Note: = Astragalus pelecinus (L.) Barneby
1NativeAfricaNorthern AfricaTunisia  Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist Note: = Astragalus pelecinus (L.) Barneby
1NativeAsia-TemperateWestern AsiaCyprus  Meikle, R. D. 1977-1985. Flora of Cyprus. Note: = Astragalus pelecinus (L.) Barneby
1NativeAsia-TemperateWestern AsiaIsrael  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 w.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.
1NativeEuropeSoutheastern EuropeAlbania  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1NativeEuropeSoutheastern EuropeBulgaria  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1NativeEuropeSoutheastern EuropeGreece incl. CreteTutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1NativeEuropeSoutheastern EuropeItaly incl. Sardinia, SicilyTutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1NativeEuropeSouthwestern EuropeFrance s. & 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.
2CultivatedAustralasiaAustraliaAustraliaSouth Australia Banik, B. K. et al. 2013. Variability of in vitro ruminal fermentation and methanogenic potenial in the pasture legume biserrula (Biserrula pelecinus L.). Crop Pasture Sci. 64:409-416. Note: recognized as an important pasture legume in southern Australia
Native
Africa
  • MACARONESIA: Spain [Canarias], Portugal [Madeira Islands]
  • NORTHERN AFRICA: Algeria, Libya (n.e.), Morocco, Tunisia
  • NORTHEAST TROPICAL AFRICA: Ethiopia, Sudan
  • EAST TROPICAL AFRICA: Tanzania (n.)
Asia-Temperate
  • WESTERN ASIA: Cyprus, Israel, Lebanon, Syria (w.), Turkey
Europe
  • SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE: Albania, Bulgaria, Greece (incl. Crete), Italy (incl. Sardinia, Sicily)
  • SOUTHWESTERN EUROPE: Spain (incl. Baleares), France (s. & Corsica), Portugal
Cultivated
Australasia
  • AUSTRALIA: Australia [South Australia]

Reference(s)
  1. Arechavaleta, M. et al., coords. 2009. Lista de especies silvestres de Canarias: hongos, plantas y animales terrestres
  2. Banik, B. K. et al. 2013. Variability of in vitro ruminal fermentation and methanogenic potenial in the pasture legume biserrula (Biserrula pelecinus L.). Crop Pasture Sci. 64:409-416. Note: recognized as an important pasture legume in southern Australia
  3. Davis, P. H., ed. 1965-1988. Flora of Turkey and the east Aegean islands.
  4. Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist Note: = Astragalus pelecinus (L.) Barneby
  5. Meikle, R. D. 1977-1985. Flora of Cyprus. Note: = Astragalus pelecinus (L.) Barneby
  6. Mouterde, P. 1966-. Nouvelle flore du Liban et de la Syrie.
  7. Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
  8. Zohary, M. & N. Feinbrun-Dothan. 1966-. Flora palaestina.
Economic Uses
UsageTypeNoteReference
Animal foodforagea species with cultivars planted in Australia ('Casbah')Banik, B. K. et al. 2013. Variability of in vitro ruminal fermentation and methanogenic potenial in the pasture legume biserrula (Biserrula pelecinus L.). Crop Pasture Sci. 64:409-416. Note: recognized as an important pasture legume in southern Australia
Environmentalpollution controlpotential for reducing methane in field pasturesBanik, B. K. et al. 2013. Variability of in vitro ruminal fermentation and methanogenic potenial in the pasture legume biserrula (Biserrula pelecinus L.). Crop Pasture Sci. 64:409-416. Note: recognized as an important pasture legume in southern Australia
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=7246. Accessed 15 April 2026.