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 po<}, 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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