Pea Family [Fabaceae] |
status
flower
morph
petals
type
stem
stem
ribbedsmell
hay
12th July 2014, Wigg Island canal, nr Runcorn, Cheshire. | Photo: © RWD |
All along the banks of the canal. A tallish plant reaching up to 1.5m (the same height which Tall Melilot (Melilotus altissimus) reaches). Although both Golden Melilot (aka Tall Melilot) and Ribbed Melilot can both reach 1.5m high, Golden Melilot (aka Tall Melilot) is often contrarily shorter!! |
12th July 2014, Wigg Island canal, nr Runcorn, Cheshire. | Photo: © RWD |
More like a many-branched bush here, but there is probably more than one plant here. |
12th July 2014, Wigg Island canal, nr Runcorn, Cheshire. | Photo: © RWD |
Multi-branched stems each with a short narrow spike of yellow flowers atop. |
5th Aug 2017, Hall Road, Sefton, Merseyside. | Photo: © RWD |
Some specimens not as tall - growing in a little-used road. |
5th July 2014, Rimrose Valley Park, Sefton, Merseyside. | Photo: © RWD |
The flowers in long spikes open at the bottom of the spike before the top.
Leaves variable in size, but always with 3 elongated-oval leaflets, the two side ones maybe slightly shorter and with very short stalks than the terminal leaflet with its much longer stalk. |
3rd Sept 2013, Samphire Hoe, Dover, Kent. | Photo: © Dawn Nelson |
The white flowers with brown sepal cups are past their best - their anthers are now visible and are going to seed - this is in September. |
3rd Sept 2013, Samphire Hoe, Dover, Kent. | Photo: © Dawn Nelson |
Leaflets cusped nearer the end with the teeth angled forwards. The flowering part of the stems are square in cross-section. |
5th July 2014, Rimrose Valley Park, Sefton, Merseyside. | Photo: © RWD |
Flowers near the summit are still in the flower-bud stage; yet to open whilst those further down have opened - meanwhile those flowers at the bottom are getting ready to go to seed or have already dropped off. |
5th July 2014, Rimrose Valley Park, Sefton, Merseyside. | Photo: © RWD |
Flowers nearer the top with long style protruding further than the shorter anthers; both curving upwards. |
5th Aug 2017, Hall Road, Sefton, Merseyside. | Photo: © RWD |
5th Aug 2017, Hall Road, Sefton, Merseyside. | Photo: © RWD |
The flower just north east of centre shows the identifying feature of Ribbed Melilot: the inner pair of petals, the keel, which is often slightly shorter than the two wings either side of it. There is only a millimetre difference between the lengths of the flowers of the otherwise very similar Tall Melilot (aka Golden Melilot) (Melilotus altissimus): Ribbed Melilot 5-7mm long; Tall Melilot 4-7mm long. These lengths are so similar that they should not be relied upon for ID. See ID below. |
5th Aug 2017, Hall Road, Sefton, Merseyside. | Photo: © RWD |
The banner, the largest of the 5 petals, is angled upwards. |
5th Aug 2017, Hall Road, Sefton, Merseyside. | Photo: © RWD |
The sepal with quite short teeth which only slightly modulated in length. Flowers on short stalks (pedicels). A short wiry ligule occurs where the pedicel emerges from the much thicker stem. |
5th July 2014, Rimrose Valley Park, Sefton, Merseyside. | Photo: © RWD |
5th July 2014, Rimrose Valley Park, Sefton, Merseyside. | Photo: © RWD |
Not to be semantically confused with : Melissa officinalis (Lemon Balm).
Easily confused with :
Hybridizes with : Some similarities to : Slight resemblance to : Superficial resemblance to : Lookee-Likees : Uniquely identifiable characteristics Distinguishing Feature :
No relation to : Fringed Water-Lily [a plant with similar name]
The dried plant smells of new mown hay and contains the coumarin DiCoumarol, which is a dimer from which rodenticides can be manufactured. As a phytoremediator it has been used to mop up
Identification:
Ribbed Melilot is found scattered throughout the British Isles but mostly in central and southern regions (as is White Melilot). It is a naturalised neophyte.
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Melilotus | officinalis | ⇐ Global Aspect ⇒ | Fabaceae |
Melilotus (Melilots) |
Pea Family [Fabaceae] |