Class
Order
Family
Genus
Classification
Nomenclature
Scientific Name:
Melilotus officinalis (L.) Lam., Fl. Franç. 2, 594 (1779)
Synonymy:
- ≡ Trifolium officinale L., Sp. Pl. (1753) – as Trifolium M. officinalis
- = Melilotus diffusus Gaud.
- = Melilotus vulgaris Hill (1756) nom. inval.
- = Melilotus officinalis Pall., Reise Russ. Reich. 3, 537 (1776) nom. inval., nom. nud.
- = Melilotus arvensis Wallr. (1822)
- = Melilotus petitpierrianus Willd. ex Ces. , Pass. & Gibelli (1882) – as petitpierriana
- = Melilotus officinalis var. micranthus O.E.Schulz (1901) – as micrantha
Description
Decumbent or erect biennial up to 1.5 m high; stems ± glabrous but sparsely hairy in upper parts. Lvs ± glabrous but sparsely hairy when young; petioles c. 5–25 mm long; leaflets narrowly to broadly elliptic or obovate, acute, obtuse or somewhat emarginate, mucronate, obtuse to cuneate at base, serrate, c. 10–25 mm long; stipules linear-lanceolate, entire. Racemes lax and slender, up to 20 cm long at fruiting; fls numerous. Peduncles > petioles. Calyx ± glabrous or sparsely hairy; calyx teeth mostly < tube, narrowly triangular. Corolla yellow, 4–6 mm long; wings > keel. Pod glabrous, transversely rugose, c. 3 mm long, 1–2-seeded; seeds light brown, 2–3 mm long.
[From: Webb et al. (1985) Flora of New Zealand. Volume 4 as Melilotus officinalis (L.) Pall.]
Biostatus
Exotic
Bibliography
Connor, H.E. 1977: The Poisonous Plants in New Zealand. Edition 2. Government Printer, Wellington.
Lamarck, J.-B. de Monet de 1779: Flore françoise, ou Description succincte de toutes les plantes qui croissent naturellement en France, disposée suivant une nouvelle méthode d'analyse.... T. 2 / par M. le chevalier de Lamarck. Vol. 2. H. Agasse, Paris.
Linnaeus, C. 1753: Species Plantarum. Impensis Laurentii Salvii, Stockholm.
Pallas, P.S. 1776: Reise durch verschiedene Provinzen des Russischen Reichs. Vol. 3. Kayserlichn Academis der Wissenschaften, St. Petersburg.
