medicks

(medics)
genus Medicago

Member of small yellow peas
legume family (family Fabaceae)
dicots (class Magnoliopsida)
flowering plants (subphylum Angiospermae)

There are no other wild species of this genus in the bay area.

3–6 mm yellow flower

bur clover
Medicago polymorpha

bur clover
Medicago polymorpha

generally glabrous
stem prostrate, mat-forming, or ascending
leaflet without dark central spot, length 1–2 × width
stipules generally cut ± ≥ ½ width
corolla 3.5–6 mm, yellow
very common
see also chile trefoil (Acmispon wrangelianus), which has generally 4 leaflets instead of 3

spotted medick
Medicago arabica

spotted medick
Medicago arabica

hair 0 to sparse
stem generally sprawling
leaflets with dark central spot, length ± = width
stipules generally cut ¼–½ width
corolla 4–5 mm, yellow
uncommon

button medick
Medicago orbicularis

± glabrous
stem spreading, mat-forming
stipules generally divided ± to base into a cluster of bristles
corolla 3–6 mm, yellow with ± dark purple spot on back of banner
Jepson says it’s a waif, but its been recorded around Quicksilver for 50 years now

black medick
Medicago lupulina

black medick
Medicago lupulina

hairy or glandular-hairy
stem prostrate to ascending, angled
stipules entire or toothed
corolla 2–3 mm, yellow
uncommon
looks similar to lesser hop trefoil (Trifolium dubium), but black medick has the following characteristics:

leaf is hairy everywhere, has a distinct tip
elliptical tan fruit is hidden by drooping flower petals

alfalfa
Medicago sativa

alfalfa
Medicago sativa

glabrous or puberulent
stem generally erect
stipules entire to sharply toothed
corolla 6–11 mm, violet or violet- to yellow-green (yellow)

4 observed taxons / 1 unobserved taxon / 1 key

Chris’s observations: 28 (22 are research grade)

Locations:

Henry Coe SP: 6
Edgewood Park & Natural Preserve: 5
Almaden Quicksilver CP: 4
Russian Ridge OSP: 3
Calero CP: 2
Coyote Lake / Harvey Bear Ranch CP: 2
Fremont Older OSP
Henry Cowell Redwoods SP - Fall Creek Unit
Stevens Creek CP
Stevens Creek Trail
Sunol Wilderness RP
Sweeney Ridge National Recreation Area

Months:

Feb.: 1
Mar.: 10
Apr.: 11
May: 3
Jun.: 0
Jul.: 3

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Not all sites include this taxon:

genus Medicago → iNaturalist – Calflora – Jepson eFlora
not yet listed → FNA

Bay Area species: iNaturalist – Calflora