BLACK MEDICK

Medicago Lupulina

Pea Family [Fabaceae]  

month8apr month8may month8jun month8jul month8aug month8sep month8oct

flower
flower8yellow
inner
inner8green
petals
petalsZ5
stem
stem8round

25th May 2005, Reddish Vale, Greater Manchester. Photo: © RWD
Smothering the path in short grassland.


12th June 2009, Greenside Mines, Glenridding, Cumbria. Photo: © RWD
A rollick of Black Medick colonising lead-contaminated soils.


21st May 2007, Hazelhurst Aqueduct, Caldon Canal, Staffordshire. Photo: © RWD
The small flower heads consist of many twin-petalled florets. The leaves in three, trefoil.


27th June 2009, Blackleach resr, Gtr M/cr. Photo: © RWD
The fine leaf teeth become coarser towards the end of the leaf which ends in a minute point.


12th June 2009, Greenside Mines, Glenridding, Cumbria. Photo: © RWD
The trefoil leaves have minute teeth and a delineating minutely pointed tip at the end.


16th July 2009, Blackleach Nature Reserve, Walkden, Greater Manchester. Photo: © RWD
The flowers in the head number between 10 to 50. Each is separated a hairy green and joinedsepals. The leaves and stems too have hairs.


16th July 2009, Blackleach Nature Reserve, Walkden, Greater Manchester. Photo: © RWD
The typical pea-type flowers in the head separated by hairy sepals.


22nd June 2007. Photo: © RWD
From the spent flower on the left where the hairy sepals can be seen a mass of coiled pods will form.


12th June 2009, Greenside Mines, Glenridding, Cumbria. Photo: © RWD
A flower head with fewer florets is able to spread the keel and standard out.


27th June 2009, Blackleach resr, Gtr M/cr. Photo: © RWD
Latent curled pods are starting to form.


16th July 2009, Blackleach Nature Reserve, Walkden, Greater Manchester. Photo: © RWD
The coiled mass of un-ripe pods.


16th July 2009, Blackleach Nature Reserve, Walkden, Greater Manchester. Photo: © RWD
When ripe the pods become blackened. There is a ribbed netted pattern on the surface.


16th July 2009, Blackleach Nature Reserve, Walkden, Greater Manchester. Photo: © RWD
The trefoil leaves showing minute teeth and stipule at the tip. Only the central leaflet is stalked. The longer stems are more often square.


Easily confused with : other Hop Trefoils. The distinguishing feature from those is the naked and black pods, plus the minute point at the tip of the leaves.

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Distribution
 family8Pea family8Fabaceae
BSBI maps
genus8Medicago
Medicago

BLACK MEDICK

Medicago Lupulina

Pea Family [Fabaceae]