Author: navidcod 
Medicago syriaca
Masoumeh Izadpanah, Parvin Salehi Shanjani and Leila Falah Hoseini
Natural Resources Gene Bank, Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization, Tehran, Iran.
Uploaded at August 2021
Scientific editor: Valiullah Mozaffarian
Seed Storage
The storage behavior of this species is orthodox (desiccation-tolerant seeds); dry to 15-20% eRH and store at -20 °C.
Germination requirements
The seeds of this species are not dormant. Sterilize seeds before placing them on wet germination paper. Place seeds for two weeks in 4 ºC to germinate uniformly. Then germinate under an alternating temperature regime of 15/20 ºC (the higher temperature for 16 hours in light and the lower one for eight hours in dark).
Morphology
Fruit type: pod
Fruit shape: Cylindric (barrel-shape), glabrous, yellow-brown to dark brown at maturity; number of 3-6 coils, not tightly appressed (gaps usually present between some coils at maturity), hardened at maturity; surface of the coils characterized by 8-12 strongly curved lateral vein (almost concentric towards periphery) with few branches and anastomoses, obscured at maturity; peripheral 10% of coil surface often veinless; coil edge blunt with spins (0.5-1.5 mm long) or tubercles, rarely spineless.
Seed shape: Kidney–shape but often flattened along edge adjacent to radicle; seed coat smooth, yellow to brown-yellow
Fruit size: Diameter: 4.5-5 mm, thickness: 3-7 mm
Seed size: Length: 2-3.5 mm
1000 seed weight:
Biological features
Life form: Herbaceous, annual, procumbent to ascending
Inflorescences and flower type and pollination mechanisms: Flowers in axillary pedunculate racemes, hermaphrodite, zygomorphic, and asymmetric; stamens are always ten in number, and their filaments are fused in a group of nine stamens plus one separate stamen (9+1). Plant monoecious, self-pollinate with 10% cross-pollination, which is carried out by insects.
Time of flowering:
Time of seed ripening:
Seed dispersal methods: The seeds are displaced by weight. Pods move by attaching to the wool and hair of animals.
Geographical distribution:
Distribution in Iran: Hormozgan, Bushehr, and Fars.
Taxonomy
Family: Papilionaceae
Genus: Medicago
Species: syriaca
Common name:
References and Links
Ghahraman, A. Flore of Iran. Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands with University of Tehran Publication. https://floraofiran.net/index.php.
Lesins, K.A. and Lesins, I. 1979. Genus Medicago (Leguminosae): a taxogenetic study. The Hague, Boston, London: Dr W. Junk Publisher, 234 pp.
Small, E. and Brookes, B. 1990. Circumscription of the genus Medicago (Leguminosae) by seed characters. Can. J. Bot. 68: 613-629.
Small, E. and Jomphe, M. 1988. A synopsis of the genus Medicago (Leguminosae). Canadian Journal of Botany, 67: 3260-3294.
Mehregan, I., Rahiminejad, M.R. and Azizian, D. 2002. A taxonomic revision of the genus Medicago L. (Papilionaceae) in Iran. Iranian Journal of Botany, 9: 207-221(In Persian).
Mozaffarian, V. 2012. A Pictorial Dictionary of Botany. Farhange Moaser Publisher, 1088 pp.
Rechinger, K.H. 1984. Flora Iranica 157. Akadmische Druch. U. Verlagsanstalt. Graz.
