PULSE FAMILY 



THE PLANT: low-lying, often one foot or two feet long, 

 branched at the base; the branches spreading; the stems 

 with short, soft hairs. 



THE LEAVES: alternate; palmately compound, the leaflets 

 oval or tending to wedge-shaped, variable in size; obtuse 

 or notched at the apex; narrowed or rounded at the base; 

 more or less shallow-toothed. 



THE FLOWERS: in oblong or cylindrical, dense heads. 



THE FRUIT: a kidney-shaped pod, practically without hairs, 

 black when ripe, curved into a partial spiral, strongly veined. 



This low and insignificant plant has three-divided leaves 

 and tiny, thimble-shaped heads of yellow flowers. At 

 first glance, one might confuse it with the Low Hop Clover 

 (Trifolium procumbens], but it is to be distinguished from 

 that by the black heads, for the persistent fruit is a shiny, 

 jet black when ripe. 



LEGUMINOS^E PULSE FAMILY 



Medicago saliva, L. 



Bluish-purple Alfalfa, 



Purple Medic, 



Summer Lucern, 



Burgundy Clover, 

 Chilian Clover, 

 Brazilian Clover. 



Medicago: Greek name for alfalfa, because the plant came 



to the Greeks from Media. 

 Saliva: Latin to denote "sown in a field." 



THE PREFERRED HABITAT: dry fields, often roadsides near 

 fields. 



THE PLANT: semi-erect, one foot to one and a half feet 

 high, much branched; stem without hairs or sometimes 

 with a few, short, soft ones. 



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