Citation: Hudson, Fl. Angl. 288 (1762).

Synonymy: M. polymorpha L. var. arabica L., Sp. Pl. 780 (1753); M. maculata Sibth., Fl. Oxon. 232 (1794).

Common name: Spotted medic.

Description:
Prostrate or almost erect annual, branches 20-60 cm long, first covered with many-celled hairs, later glabrescent; leaflets obcordate to obovate, 10-25 x 10-25 mm, slightly toothed at the summit, usually with a reddish-brown patch in the middle, glabrous above, hirsute underneath on the puberulent petiole, usually much longer than the leaflet; stipules large, deeply toothed.

Peduncle 1- or 2- to 5-flowered, usually shorter than the corresponding petiole; flowers 4-5 mm long, on a pedicel shorter than the calyx tube; bracts triangular and acute to lanceolate, c. 1 mm long, scarious; calyx 2.5-3 mm long, sparsely covered with appressed hairs, teeth equalling the tube; petals bright-yellow; standard broad-elliptic, wings shorter than the keel.

Young pod protruding sideways from the calyx; mature pod cylindrical to spherical, flat at both ends, 5-7 mm high and 4-6 mm diam., glabrous, straw-coloured to brownish, spiny; coils 3-7, turning clockwise, coil face with 5-8 veins, forming elongated cells near and parallel to the edge, then entering the lateral veins which are prominent, as high as or higher than the 1-furrowed central vein, so that the dorsal suture has 4 ridges with 3 grooves more or less at 1 level; spines from short to 4 mm long, grooved and arching over the sides of the coil, 13-15 in each row; seed yellow to brownish, c. 3 x 1.4 mm, 1-3 per coil.

Image source: fig. 350A in J.P. Jessop and H.R. Toelken Ed. 1986. Flora of South Australia (4th edn).

Published illustration: Cunningham et al. (1982)Plants of western New South Wales, p. 401.

Distribution:  In S.Aust. it is established in higher rainfall areas. S.Aust.: NL, MU, YP, SL, SE.   Tas.   Native or naturalised in Europe; eastern Asia; Africa; North and South America and New Zealand. Conservation status: naturalised Flowering time: May — Nov.

SA Distribution Map based on current data relating to specimens held in the State Herbarium of South Australia

Biology: No text

Author: Not yet available