Sickle Medick

Foodplant / parasite
Erysiphe pisi var. pisi parasitises Medicago sativa ssp. falcata

Foodplant / pathogen
colony of Fusarium anamorph of Fusarium poae infects and damages Medicago sativa ssp. falcata

In Great Britain and/or Ireland:
Foodplant / open feeder
larva of Hypera fuscocinerea grazes on leaf of Medicago sativa ssp. falcata

Foodplant / spot causer
immersed pycnidium of Phyllosticta coelomycetous anamorph of Phyllosticta medicaginis causes spots on live leaf of Medicago sativa ssp. falcata

Perennial herb, stem erect or procumbent, up to 80 cm long, pubescent or glabrous. Leaflets 5-20 mm long, 2-6 mm broad, obovate to linear-lanceolate, serrate above; stipules entire or toothed in the lower half. Inflorescence a peduncled raceme. Calyx 4-5 mm long, teeth as long or longer than the tube. Corolla 8-11 mm long. Fruit 8-11 mm long, c. 2.5 mm broad, nearly straight to crescentic, appressed pilose to glabrescent, 2-8-seeded.

Europe, W. & C. Asia, Himalaya, Tibet, China, Siberia; introduced into E. Asia.

Distribution: Pakistan, India (N. Punjab), Russia, Turkey and Europe.

2700-4000 m

Fl. Per.: March-August.

Medicago falcata is a plant species of the genus Medicago. It is native to much of Europe and Asia, but is found throughout the world. It forms a symbiotic relationship with the bacterium Sinorhizobium meliloti, which is capable of nitrogen fixation. Its common names include yellow lucerne, sickle alfalfa, yellow-flowered alfalfa, yellow alfalfa, sickle medick and yellow medick.