Bur Medick

Annual, pubescent, hairs simple or mixed with glandular hairs. Petiole up to 8 mm long, leaflets 5-10 mm long, 2-7 mm broad, obovate, rarely oblanceolate, pubescent on both surfaces, retuse to emarginate, toothed; stipules entire or toothed. Inflorescence a 2-6-flowered, peduncled raceme, peduncle generally longer than the petiole. Calyx 2-2.5 mm long, finely pubescent, teeth as long as the tube. Corolla up to 4 mm long. Fruit with 3-5 coils, spines variable, from short tubercles to long hooked spines, inserted slightly removed from the marginal border.

Distribution: Kashmir, Pakistan; Europe; N.Africa and Cape, Asia (except the desert areas), introduced in North and South America (Heyn, l.c. 1963).

Fl.Per.: April-July.

Annual, Herbs, Taproot present, Nodules present, Stems or branches arching, spreading or decumbent, Stems prostrate, trailing, or mat forming, Stems less than 1 m tall, Plants gland-dotted or with gland-tipped hairs, Stems solid, Stems or young twigs sparsely to densely hairy, Stem hairs hispid to villous, Leaves alternate, Leaves petiolate, Stipules conspicuous, Stipules green, triangulate to lanceolate or foliaceous, Stipules persistent, Stipule s free, Leaves compound, Leaves pinnately 3-foliolate, Leaves odd pinnate, Leaflets dentate or denticulate, Leaflets opposite, Leaflets 3, Leaves hairy on one or both surfaces, Inflorescences globose heads, capitate or subcapitate, Inflorescence axillary, Flowers zygomorphic, Calyx 5-lobed, Calyx hairy, Petals separate, Corolla papilionaceous, Petals clawed, Petals orange or yellow, Banner petal ovoid or obovate, Wing petals narrow, oblanceolate to oblong, Wing petals auriculate, Wing tips obtuse or rounded, Keel tips obtuse or rounded, not beaked, Stamens 9-10, Stamens diadelphous, 9 united, 1 free, Filaments glabrous, Style terete, Fruit a legume, Fruit unilocular, Fruit freely dehiscent, Fruit spirally coiled or contorted, Fruit exserted from calyx, Fruit spiny, bur-like, with hooked bristles or prickles, Fruit hairy, Fruit 2-seeded, Fruit 3-10 seeded, Seeds reniform, Seed surface smooth, Seeds olive, brown, or black.

Medicago minima is a plant species of the genus Medicago. It is native to the Mediterranean basin but is found worldwide. It forms a symbiotic relationship with the bacterium Sinorhizobium meliloti, which is capable of nitrogen fixation. Common names include bur medick, little bur-clover, little bur medick, little medick, small medick, and woolly bur medick.