Al Schneider's Rocky Mountains Plant Descriptions

Alfalfa
Medicago sativa
Pea family (Fabaceae)

Alfalfa originated in southwestern Asia. It was first cultivated in the Middle East, introduced into the United States in 1736, and is now in many parts of the U.S. Alfalfa is eaten by domestic livestock and a wide range of wildlife. It also provides important cover for nesting waterfowl and other birds. As forage, it is very nutritious, producing more protein per acre than most other crops. Alfalfa is a capable of fixing nitrogen, thus improving the condition of cultivated soils. Linnaeus named this of about five dozen Eurasian species in 1753. It is believed that over 3,000 years ago Medicago sativa was first cultivated in, and named for, the ancient country of Media (present northwest Iran).


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Description

Introduced , 2-3' tall, with 5-25 mostly erect stems per plant and a very deep . , dark green, divided into 3 (). are usually hairy, thin-textured, and arranged . are narrow and . Purple-blue (rarely pink or white) flowers are arranged in tight, rounded clusters arising from leaf axils. are many-seeded net-veined pods coiled in 2-3 spirals.

Field Marks

White, yellow, purple flowers; leaves.

© Al Schneider

lanceolate -- Lance-shaped. Long, wider in the middle.

A perennial plant lives and blooms for many years.

trifoliate -- Divided into three leaflets. Like a clover leaf.

stipule -- A leaf-like structure that occurs where the leaf joins the stem; stipules often occur in pairs.

A herb is a plant whose stems die back to the ground in the winter.

a non-native plant that has adapted to a new environment and continues to spread.

taproot -- The primary decending root of a plant.

legume -- A fruit of the family Fabaceae (pea family). Perhaps the crop as in soybeans or clover. Sometimes a plant of the family Fabaceae.

fruit -- any seed-bearing structure in flowering plants. It is formed from the ovary after flowering.

pinnate -- A compound leaf with two rows of leaflets.

leaflets -- Each little leaf-like thing in a compound leaf is a leaflet.

stalk -- The supporting structure of an organ. Examples of stalks are stem, peduncle, petiole, ...

genus -- A subdivision of a botanical Family in which all members have a significant number of similar characteristics.

leaves alternate along the main stem and are attached singly.

oblong -- Having an elongated form with somewhat parallel sides. Rectangular.