Black Medic

Medicago lupulina

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Fabaceae (Leguminosae)

Native to:  Eurasia

Florida abundance and distribution:  Throughout

Recognition:  Summer annual or short-lived perennial along roadsides, in lawns, pastures, and cultivated areas.  Prostrate to 1’ tall, with nitrogen-fixing root nodules.  Stems 1-2’ long, with small hairs.  Leaves trifoliate, the central leaflet on a separate petiole, the leaflet margins serrulate.  Flowers tiny, yellow, numerous in thimble-like bunches.  Fruit a tiny pod that remains closed at maturity.

Easily confused species: Other local weeds with trifoliate leaflets include Beggarweeds (Desmodium species), which differ by having entire leaflets and purplish flowers; Oxalis, which has deeply notched leaflets;  and Dutch White Clover (Trifolium album) with white flowers and a white chevron on each leaflet.

Other:   Fodder.  Birds eat the fruits/seeds, and honeybees visit the flowers.  

Contributed by: Bill Mullarkey