Fact Sheets

FICHES DE
RENSEIGNEMENTS

Medicago lupulina L.

Family :

Famille :

Fabaceae

Synonym(s) :

Synonyme(s) :

Medicago lupulina L. var. cupaniana (Guss.) Boiss. (USDA-ARS 2023)

Common Name(s) :

Nom(s) commun(s) :

Black medick, black medic

(English) (USDA-ARS 2023)
Lupuline, minette dorée (French) (USDA-ARS 2023)

  • Medicago lupulina seeds, side view

  • Medicago lupulina (black medick) seeds

  • Medicago lupulina (black medick) seed

  • Medicago lupulina (black medick) seed

  • Medicago lupulina legume

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Overview

Aperçu

Regulation :

Remarques Réglementation:

    Regulation Notes:

    Distribution :

    Répartition :

    Medicago lupulina (black medick) is native to North Africa, most of Europe, parts of tropical Asia (Pakistan, India, Nepal), China, Korea, Taiwan, Russian Federation, and the Middle East (USDA-ARS 2023).

    Medicago lupulina was introduced to North America and Eurasia as a soil improver and forage plant. It may have also made its way to these areas as a contaminant seed in other crops (CABI 2024).

    Habitat and Crop Association :

    Habitat et Cultures Associées :

    Medicago lupulina is found in lawns, pastures, cultivated fields, roadsides, disturbed areas (Darbyshire 2003), forest margins, and wastelands (CABI 2024). In addition, it can grow in riversides, railroad embankments and rocky beaches. It is a ruderal species; hence, it may be the first species to establish itself on freshly tilled soil (Turkington 1979).

    Medicago lupulina is grown as a crop, but it is also a rapidly spreading weed. It is commonly encountered in fields of Medicago sativa L., Lotus corniculatus L., Trifolium repens L., and Trifolium pretense L. (Turkington 1979). It has been listed as an invasive species in Hawaii, the Philippines, New Zealand as well as some islands within the area of the Central and South Pacific Oceans. Although information regarding the environmental impact in these loactions is limited (CABI 2024). M. lupulina seeds can stay viable in the soil for several years, which makes it difficult to eliminate from agricultural land (Sidhu 1971).

    Economic Use, cultivation area, and Weed Association :

    Utilisation économique, zone de culture et association de mauvaises herbes :

    Economic use:

    Medicago lupulina is used as an animal food in both the form of fodder, and forage. It can establish itself on poor sandy soils better than other clover crops (Turkington 1979). Medicago lupulina is high in protein content but can cause bloating in livestock. Therefore, it is not an ideal forage crop (MSUES 2024).

    Medicago lupulina is used for several environmental purposes. It is used as a soil enhancer because it increases nitrogen levels in the soil. Other uses include suppressing weed growth and preventing erosion (Clark 2007). It is used as a re-vegitation crop (CABI 2024). It is also used in soil remediation. Medicago lupulina is also used to extract heavy metals such a lead. This uptake of lead stays in the roots of the plants and does not move to the arial parts of the plant (Feedpeedia.org 2024).

    It is grown as a crop for honey production (CABI 2024).

    It is planted in vineyards and orchards as a ground cover. Because emerges early in the spring, it can be helpful in preventing weed development and in helping to retain moisture in the soil (Feedpeedia.org 2024).

    Planting Medicago lupulina can increase the protein content of grains when grown in rotation with grain crops (Clark 2007).

    Duration of Life Cycle :

    Durée du cycle vital:

    Annual, biennial, or short-lived perennial (Turkington 1979)

    Dispersal Unit Type :

    Type d’unité de dispersion :

    Seed, or legume

    General Information

    RENSEIGNEMENTS GÉNÉRAUX

    Medicago lupulina can be grown at a wide range of altitudes. It prefers a habitat of light, well drained, fertile soils. It is tolerant to a wide range of rainfall. It prefers light, well drained soils. It is not tolerant of acidic or alkaline soils. It prefers well drained soil and does not thrive on moist soils. It cannot withstand shade and it is sensitive to salinity. It grows in places where the mean average temperature is between 5.7 and 22.5 degrees C. (Feedpeedia.org 2024).

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    Medicago lupulina infestation (Katy Chayka, Minnesota Wildflowers, MinnesotaWildflowers.info)

    Identification

    Identification

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    • Legume

      Shape

      • Legumes are kidney, or D- shaped and slightly inflated.

      Surface Texture

      • Legume surface is uneven and rough, with concentric ridges which are not uniformly organized and sometimes intersect.
      • Some fine hairs may be present on the surface of the legume.

      Colour

      • Legumes are dull black to dark brown

      Other Features

      • The legume is indehiscent and contains one seed.
      • Legume is thin and papery.
      • The tip of the legume (opposite the point of attachment) is curled into a small coil.
      • After the legume becomes ripe, the calyx often remains attached to the legume.
    • Calyx

      Shape

      • Several triangular protrusions which attach at the pedicle and cup around the fruit

      Surface Texture

      • The calyx may appear slightly wrinkled.
      • Calyx is densely hairy (FOC 2024).

      Colour

      • Calyx is light brown

      Other Features

      • Occasionally, the light brown coloured pedicle remains attached to the calyx after the seed is harvested.
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    • Seed

      Size

      • Seed length*: 1.4 – 2.2 mm; width: 1.1 – 1.5 mm
      *Note: Minimum and maximum of 10 seeds in a normal range of these species using image measurements.

      Shape

      • Seed is oval to kidney shaped with a small bump beside the hilum where the radicle protrudes.
      • The radicle is shorter than the cotyledons.
      • The radicle diverges slightly from the cotyledons.
      • When viewed from a cross section this seed is broadly oval.

      Surface Texture

      • Seed surface texture is smooth

      Colour

      • Seed is shiny
      • These seeds are most often yellowish green and may also be greenish yellow, green, or dark orange.
      • Seeds change from greenish yellow to dark orange as they age.
      • The radical line is lighter in colour than the rest of the seed.
      • The lens and the area around the hilum are usually orangish brown.

      Other Features

      • Radicle is about 2/3 the length of cotyledons.
      • The hilum is round and located within a notch and it is surrounded by a ring of rough, light brown tissue.
      • The hilum is located 1/3 of the way down the seed when looking at the seed from the side view and is approximately 1/8 the length of the entire seed.
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    • Embryo

      Shape

      • The embryo is a bent, jack-knife shape

    Identification Tips

    CONSEILS POUR L’IDENTIFICATION

    • Seeds of Medicago lupulina have a distinctive kidney shape and the thickness of the cotyledons gives it a rounded shape.
    • The radicle tip can be seen as an obvious protrusion on the seed surface and is located next to the hilum on the opposite side from the lens.
    • The radicle line bends slightly towards the cotyledons. It looks like a triangle with one thin tapered point.
    • There is a thick orange-brown line extending from the hilum to the lens.

    Additional Botany Information

    AUTRES RENSEIGNEMENTS BOTANIQUES

    Similar Species

    ESPÈCES SEMBLABLES

    Similar species are based on a study of seed morphology of various species, and those with similar dispersal units are identified. The study is limited by physical specimen and literature availability at the time of examination, and possibly impacted by the subjectivity of the authors based on their knowledge and experience. Providing similar species information for seed identification is to make users aware of similarities that could possibly result in misidentification.

     

    Medicago sativa L.

    The seeds of Medicago lupulina have a uniform shape. The radicle lobe is small and pointed. The base is broadly rounded. In contrast, the seeds of Medicago sativa are slightly twisted, and irregular in shape. They usually have an angled base. This is due to their development in a multi-seeded, coiled pod. The radicle tip in Medicago sativa is generally broader. It can protrude like it does in Medicago lupulina, but this is rare.

    Melilotus albus Medik. and Melilotus officinalis L. (Lam.) (The seeds of these two species are similar but both differ from Medicago lupulina in the same way.)

    Melilotus albus/M. officinalis seeds do not have a protruding radicle tip.
    Melilotus albus/M. officinalis have dull seed coats. Medicago lupulina seeds have a shiny surface.
    – Some Melilotus officinalis seeds have a mottled colour pattern. This mottling does not occur in Medicago lupulina.
    – The radicle line in Melilotus albus/M. officinalis is thicker than that of Medicago lupulina.

    Feature Medicago lupulina Medicago sativa Melilotus albus/M. offinalis
    Size
    Length*: 1.4 – 2.2 mm; width: 1.1 – 1.5 mm
    *Note: Minimum and maximum of 10 seeds in a normal range of these species using image measurements
    Length*: 2.1 – 3.03 mm; width: 1.42 – 1.83 mm

    *Note: Minimum and maximum of 11 seeds in a normal range of these species using image measurements
    Length*: 1.5 – 2.7 mm; width: 1.1 – 1.6 mm

    *Note: Minimum and maximum of 10 seeds in a normal range of these species using image measurements
    Shape (general) Oval to kidney shaped with a protruding radicle tip (small bump)

    Seed is widest around the cotyledon

    Oval to kidney shaped, sometimes like a parallelogram.

    Often looks angular.

    Not symmetrical.  Occasionally the radicle tip protrudes.

    Partial oval (oval with one corner missing)
    Uniformity of shape Shape is uniform within a group of seeds – because seeds develop in a single seeded pod Shape is not uniform – because seeds develop in a multi-seeded pod Seeds are mostly uniform in shape. Seeds developing in a one seed pod are symmetrical.  Seeds developing in a two seeded pod (which is less common) have one rounded and one flat side.
    Colour Greenish yellow Yellowish green to reddish brown Green to greenish yellow.

    Some Melilotus officinalis seeds will have brown mottling

    Appearance of the radicle line The angle quickly becomes narrow and looks like a thin line.

    Often curves back towards the cotyledons slightly where the cotyledons lobe meets the radicle lobe.

    The angle quickly becomes narrow and looks like a thin line. A wider triangle (taking up more space) than in M. sativa and M. lupulina.

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    Reference(s)

    Référence(s)

    Centre for Agriculture and Bioscience International (CABI). 2024. Invasive Species Compendium, CAB International, Wallingford, UK. https://www.cabidigitallibrary.org/journal/cabicompendium Accessed October 18, 2024.

    Clark, A., 2007. Medics. Managing Cover Crops Profitably, 3rd edition, Sustainable Agriculture Network, Beltsville, MD. https://midwestcovercrops.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/ManagingCoverCropsProfitably_medics.pdf

    Darbyshire, S. J. 2003. Inventory of Canadian Agricultural Weeds. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Research Branch. Ottawa, ON.

    Feedipedia.org. 2024. Black medic (Medicago lupulina). https://www.feedipedia.org/node/277 Accessed October 18, 2024.

    Flora of China (FOC) 1994+. Medicago lupulina Vol. 10 Page 554 (English edition). http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=200012213 Accessed September 07, 2023.

    Mississippi State University Extension Service (MSUES). 2024. Black Medic (Medicago lupulina). http://extension.msstate.edu/node/26669 Accessed October 18, 2024.

    Reaume, T. 2009. 620 Wild Plants of North America. Canadian Plains Research Centre, University of Regina, Regina, Saskatchewan.

    Sidhu, S.S., 1971. Some aspects of the ecology of black medick. PH.D. Thesis, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario.

    Turkington, R., Cavers, P.B. 1979. “The Biology of Canadian Weeds. 33. Medicago lupulina”. Canadian Journal of Plant Sciences 99-10. https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/pdf/10.4141/cjps79-015

    United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Services (USDA-ARS). 2023. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN), https://npgsweb.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomydetail?id=23613 Accessed September 02, 2023.

    Author(s)

    AUTEUR(S)

    Janessa Emerson and Julie Lu,

    Canadian Food Inspection Agency