Cut-leaved medick
Medicago laciniata

Family: Fabaceae

What it is like

A small herb. It is an annual plant. The stems branch at the base. They lie along the ground. The leaves are compound with 3 toothed leaflets. These are hairy underneath. The leaflets are 6-12 mm long by 2-5 mm wide. The flowers are small and yellow. They are pea like. The fruit is a pod that is like a spiny ball. It has 5-7 coils. There are 8-10 seeds.

Where it is found

It is a Mediterranean climate plant. It grows in sandy or gravelly soils. It grows in areas with an annual rainfall between 250-900 mm. It grows between sea level to 2,100 m above sea level. It can grow in alkaline and salty soils. It can grow in arid places.

Countries/locations it is found in

Afghanistan, Africa, Algeria, Asia, Australia, Bahrain, Belgium, Botswana, Britain, Canary Islands, Cyprus, East Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Europe, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mediterranean, Middle East, Morocco, North Africa, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Scandinavia, Sinai, Socotra, Somalia, South Africa, Sweden, Syria, Tanzania, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, UAE, Yemen

How it is used for food

The plant was mixed with sugar and boiled water to make a tea like drink.

Edible parts

Leaves

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Handagug-hadhari, Hasak, Nafal

Synonyms

Medicago polymorpha var. laciniata Linn.;