lucerne

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• lucerne
• alfalfa
• Medick

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Medica sativa

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Fabales, it is classified under the family Fabaceae. Finally, its specific taxonomic designation is within the genus Medicago.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant, known as alfalfa, exhibits a specific presence across several regions in Northern Europe. It can be found growing within the borders of Denmark. Additionally, its distribution extends to the territories of Finland and Norway. The species is also documented throughout Great Britain. Finally, its geographical range includes the island of Ireland.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Medicago sativa is characterized by its remarkable adaptability across diverse landscapes and significant altitudinal gradients. It thrives in a wide variety of habitats, ranging from disturbed and anthropogenic environments such as crop fields and old fields to more natural settings including forest edges, meadows (both dry and moist), shrubberies, and steppes. The species is also capable of colonizing more rugged terrains, including stony places and mountainous regions. In terms of vertical distribution, it exhibits a broad elevational range, beginning at sea level (0 m AMSL) and extending to a maximum altitude of 3300 m AMSL, with a mean elevation of approximately 1800 m AMSL.

Elevational range max:

3300 m AMSL

Elevational range mean:

1800 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

crop fields, forest edges, meadows, meadows: dry, mountains, old fields, shrubberies, steppe, stony places

Genetics

The genetics of Medicago sativa are characterized by a complex polyploid nature, which contributes significantly to its adaptability and vigor. A defining feature of its genomic architecture is the variation in its chromosome number, which can manifest as 16, 32, 48, or 64 chromosomes depending on the ploidy level of the specific cultivar. This range of chromosome numbers indicates that the species undergoes various stages of polyploidization, ranging from diploidy to higher-order tetraploidy, hexaploidy, and octoploidy. Such genomic plasticity allows for a wide array of phenotypic variations and provides a robust genetic foundation for breeding programs aimed at improving traits like drought tolerance, nitrogen fixation efficiency, and forage quality.

Chromosome number :

16, 32, 48, 64

Life history

The life history of Medicago sativa is characterized by its status as a perennial plant, allowing it to persist across multiple growing seasons. As a hemicryptophyte, its perennating buds are located at or just below the soil surface, which provides a degree of protection against environmental stressors. Furthermore, the species exhibits an evergreen nature, maintaining its foliage and biological activity through varying seasonal changes.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Life form :

hemicryptophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Medicago sativa is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb and forb. It functions as an independent organism, lacking parasitic tendencies, and is strictly a terrestrial plant rather than an aquatic or epiphytic species. The plant typically exhibits an ascending shoot orientation and is self-supporting in its growth habit, rather than acting as a vine or liana. In terms of stature, the plant height is variable, with a minimum height of 0.2 m, a mean height of 0.52 m, and a maximum height reaching up to 1 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

1 m

Plant height mean:

0.52 m

Plant height min:

0.2 m

Shoot orientation :

ascending

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Medicago sativa is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway and a highly efficient nitrogen-fixing capability, which allows it to thrive through symbiotic relationships. Its vegetative morphology features oblong-shaped leaves that vary significantly in dimension, with leaf lengths ranging from a minimum of 0.8 cm to a maximum of 3.5 cm. The leaf width exhibits a broad spectrum, measured from a minimum of 0.15 cm to a mean and maximum width of 1.5 cm, resulting in a mean leaf size of 12.88 cm². Furthermore, the plant possesses a mean Specific Leaf Area (SLA) of 219.5 cm²/g, reflecting its resource allocation strategies, and it functions as a non-carnivorous organism.

Carnivory :

non-carnivorous

Leaf form :

oblong

Leaf length max:

3.5 cm

Leaf length min:

0.8 cm

Leaf size mean:

12.88 cm²

Leaf width mean:

1.5 cm

Leaf width min:

0.15 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

yes

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Specific Leaf Area (SLA) mean:

219.5 cm²/g

Reproduction

The reproduction of Medicago sativa involves both sexual and asexual processes, with its sexual reproduction characterized by bisexual flowers that exhibit a violet color. The flowering period typically begins in May and concludes in July, featuring flowers that range in length from 0.7 cm to 0.8 cm. The plant relies on biotic pollination, specifically utilizing an insect pollination syndrome, and is noted to lack self-fertilization. Following pollination, the plant develops black, dry fruit in the form of a pod. These pods are relatively small, with a mean length of 0.5 cm and a width varying between 0.4 cm and 0.8 cm. The fruit is dehiscent, facilitating the release of a high volume of seeds, often exceeding 1000 seeds per fruit. The individual seeds are quite small, with a mean length of 3.5 mm (ranging from 3 to 4 mm), a mean width of 4 mm, and a mean volume of 4.2 mm³. The seed mass is highly variable, with a mean of approximately 0.00228 g, ranging from a minimum of 0.00057 g to a maximum of 0.00373 g. Dispersal is primarily an anemochorous process, meaning the seeds are dispersed by the wind.

Dehiscence :

dehiscent

Dispersal syndrome :

anemochorous

Flower colour :

violet

Flower length max:

0.8 cm

Flower length min:

0.7 cm

Flowering time :

May

Flowering time :

Jul

Fruit colour :

black

Fruit dryness :

dry

Fruit length mean:

0.5 cm

Fruit type :

pod

Fruit width max:

0.8 cm

Fruit width mean:

0.5 cm

Fruit width min:

0.4 cm

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Reproduction asexual :

present

Reproduction sexual :

bisexual

Seed length max:

4 mm

Seed length mean:

3.5 mm

Seed length min:

3 mm

Seed mass max:

0.00373 g

Seed mass mean:

0.002280026 g

Seed mass min:

0.00057 g

Seed volume max:

4.2 mm³

Seed width mean:

4 mm

Seeds_per_fruit :

>1000

Self fertilization :

absent

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Medicago sativa has 1 reported plant parts identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf.

Leaf

1. Bollettino della Societa italiana di biologia sperimentale

Chemicals

Medicago sativa has 292 reported phytochemicals identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Saponins, formononetin, COUMESTROL, ferulic acid, p-coumaric acid.

Saponins

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of animal physiology and animal nutrition
3. Journal of animal science
4. Phytochemical analysis : PCA

formononetin

1. Dr. Duke
2. Proceedings of the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine. Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine (New York, N.Y.)
3. Plant molecular biology
4. Phytochemical analysis : PCA

COUMESTROL

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of food science and technology
3. Proceedings of the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine. Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine (New York, N.Y.)

ferulic acid

1. Dr. Duke
2. Plant, cell & environment
3. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis

p-coumaric acid

1. Dr. Duke
2. Scientific reports
3. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis

quercetin

1. Dr. Duke
2. Chemistry & biodiversity
3. Phytochemical analysis : PCA

CHLOROPHYLL

1. Dr. Duke
2. Horticulture research

CINNAMIC ACID

1. Dr. Duke
2. Chemistry & biodiversity

Condensed Tannins

1. Basic life sciences
2. Research in veterinary science

LIGNIN

1. The British journal of nutrition
2. Genetica

Activities

Medicago sativa has 817 reported activities identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Antibacterial, Antihistaminic, 11B-HSD-Inhibitor, 17-beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase-Inhibitor.

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Plant, cell & environment
3. Regulatory toxicology and pharmacology : RTP
4. Journal of separation science
5. Phytochemical analysis : PCA

Antibacterial

1. Dr. Duke
2. Plant, cell & environment

Antihistaminic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of pharmacy & bioallied sciences

11B-HSD-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

17-beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

5-Alpha-Reductase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

5-HETE-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

5-Lipoxygenase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

ACE-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

AChE-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Conditions

Medicago sativa has 22 reported investigations on conditions identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include Acinetobacter baumannii, Bacillus subtilis, DNA fragmentation, Escherichia coli, antidiabetic.

Acinetobacter baumannii

1. Plant, cell & environment

Bacillus subtilis

1. Plant, cell & environment

Dna fragmentation

1. Regulatory toxicology and pharmacology : RTP

Escherichia coli

1. Plant, cell & environment

Antidiabetic

1. Critical reviews in food science and nutrition

Antioxidant

1. Journal of separation science

Biofilm

1. Scientific reports

Diabetes mellitus

1. Diabetologia

Gram-negative bacteria

1. Plant, cell & environment

Gram-positive bacteria

1. Plant, cell & environment

Preparations

Medicago sativa has 5 reported preparations identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include Freeze-dried samples, Packaged dried quebra-pedra herb, extracts, hydro-alcoholic extract, methanolic extract.

Freeze-dried samples

1. Journal of food science and technology

Packaged dried quebra-pedra herb

1. Planta medica

Extracts

1. BioMedicine

Hydro-alcoholic extract

1. Global journal of health science

Methanolic extract

1. Journal of pharmacy & bioallied sciences