3267

Forb
Perennial

Non-native: Southeast Europe

Documented growing wild in GA NC SC

Common (uncommon in GA, uncommon in SC Coastal Plain)

Look for it in roadsides, fields, disturbed areas, per Weakley's Flora

To see a detailed map, click here

 

LEAVES:
Odd-pinnately compound: 3 leaflets
Mostly alternate

FLOWER:
Spring/Summer
Blue-violet, purple (rarely white or varicolored)
Bilaterally symmetrical
5-toothed campanulate calyx
5-parted papilionaceous corolla
10 stamens, diadelphous, 9 and 1
Superior ovary

Inflorescence an axillary raceme

FRUIT:
Summer
Legume

 

TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!

• Wildflowers of the Atlantic Southeast p415
• Wildflowers of the Southern Mountains p086

Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Eudicots: Core Eudicots: Rosids: Fabids: Fabales

WEAKLEY'S FLORA (11/30/12):
Medicago sativa   FAMILY Fabaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Medicago sativa ssp. sativa   FAMILY Fabaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 098-16-001:
Medicago sativa   FAMILY Fabaceae