WorldFloraDB - Medicago arborea

Characteristics

Erect, perennial shrub; stems densely sericeous. Lvs densely sericeous on petiole and undersurface of leaflets, almost glabrous above; petioles c. 5-25 mm long; leaflets obovate or obtriangular, acute or obtuse to slightly emarginate, usually mucronate, obtuse to cuneate at base, ± entire or irregularly serrate near apex, uniform in colour, c. 8-25 mm long; terminal petiolule (2)-3-6 mm long; lateral petiolules c. 1 mm long; stipules triangular, acuminate, entire. Infl. 4-10-(12)-flowered; peduncles densely sericeous, > petioles; pedicels > calyx tube. Calyx hairy; calyx teeth narrowly triangular, < or ± = tube. Corolla yellow to golden or orange, 10-15 mm long. Pod moderately hairy but becoming ± glabrous when mature, coiled in 1-11/2 turns with a hole through the centre, reticulately veined but otherwise smooth, 10-15 mm diam., few-seeded; seeds brown, c. 4-5 mm long.

More

Shrubs, 1-2(-4) m, pale yellow sericeous; bark split longitudinally. Stems erect, terete. Stipules narrowly triangular, 5-8 mm, acute, entire; petioles 2-4 cm; leaflets obovate to obcordate, 10-18 × 8-14 mm, sericeous abaxially, glabrous adaxially, lateral veins 5-7 pairs, base broadly cuneate, margin entire, apex obtuse or retuse. Flowers 6-10 scattered in racemes, 2-2.5 cm; peduncles axillary, 3-5 cm, densely silky; bracts ca. 2 mm; pedicels ca. 5 mm. Corolla orange, 12-15 mm. Ovary stipitate; ovules 12-15. Legume loosely coiled in 0.5-1.5 spirals, 12-15 mm in diam., center hollow, appressed pubescent, veins radially reticulate, netted in external circle. Seed reniform, ca. 4 mm. Fl. May.

An evergreen shrub. It grows 2-4 m high. The young stems are white and silky. The leaves have 3 leaflets. They are downy and greyish-green. The leaflets are oval and widest above the middle and narrow at the base. The flowers are pea-like and yellow. They are in round heads or 4-8 flowers. The fruit are spirally twisted seed pods. They are like snail shells. They are 12-15 mm long with a hole in the centre.

Life form

perennial

Growth form

shrub

Growth support

-

Foliage retention

evergreen

Sexuality

hermaphrodite

Pollination

entomogamy

Spread

epizoochory

Mature width (meter)

2.0

Mature height (meter)

2.0

Root system

-

Rooting depth (meter)

-

Root diameter (meter)

-

Flower color

Blooming months

Jan	Feb	Mar
Apr	May	Jun
Jul	Aug	Sep
Oct	Nov	Dec

Fruit color

-

Fruiting months

-

Nitrogen fixer

Photosynthetic pathway

c3

Environment

Scrub and rocky hillsides. Dry soils, rocky hillsides, steep cliffs and seashore rocks; frequently found at low elevations by the sea and on limestone soils, and often in areas disturbed by human activity; at elevations up to 800 metres.

More

It is a warm temperate plant. It can be grown in coastal places. It grows in rocky places especially near cliffs. It suits hardiness zones 8-10.

Light
Soil humidity
Soil texture
Soil acidity
Soil nutriment
Hardiness (USDA)

Usage

Uses	animal food environmental use experimental purposes fetish forage gene source material medicinal ornamental
Edible	leaves shoots
Therapeutic use	Tumor (unspecified)
Human toxicity	-
Animal toxicity	-

Cultivation

Can be grown by cuttings or seedlings. Seeds needs soaking.

Mode	cuttings seedlings
Germination duration (days)	-
Germination temperacture (C°)	-
Germination luminosity	-
Germination treatment	soaking
Minimum temperature (C°)	-10
Optimum temperature (C°)	-
Size	-
Vigor	-
Productivity	-