58 



PASTURE PLANTS AND PASTURES OF N.Z. 



Black Medick, Non-Such Clover or English Trefoil 



{Medicago lupulina). — An annual with trailing stems, more or 

 less clothed with short, soft hairs. Leaflets heart-shaped and 



Fig. 28. — Lucerne (Note twisted pods), 

 (after Fream). 



Fig.29. 



Black Medick (Note spike from end 

 of leaflet, (after Freara). 



with the midrib produced into a Uttle spike protruding 

 from the niche of the heart. The flowers are bright 

 yellow, and the httle one-seeded pods are quite black 

 when ripe. 



Black Medick is occasionally sown as a pasture plant 

 in temporary leys. The amount of feed it produces is, how- 

 ever, small, and its self-seeding is not very prohfic. Money 

 spent on it would be much better devoted to Red Clover 

 in most cases. On limestone soils, however. Black Medick 

 flourishes, and is one of the best indicators of soils lying on 

 limestone. On permanent pasture in such country Black 

 Medick could be broadcast very profitably if it does not 

 occur already. 



