Lucerne - introduced (*Medicago savita)

Other names: Alfalfa.

Family: Fabaceae (Pea family).

Native of Europe and Asia.

Occurrence: Scattered weed along roadsides, and in built up areas.

Identification:

• it grows to a small bush
• the leaves have three fairly narrow leaflets
• the stems are much branched
• the purplish pea flowers are clustered at the ends of the stalks.

Lucerne is widely grown as a fodder crop and sometimes grown as a medicinal plant. Most roadside occurrences are near paddocks that have been sown to Lucerne. It is reputed to be a troublesome weed in irrigation areas.

Other medics: Smaller medics resemble yellow-flowered clovers. They differ from clovers in that have coiled pods.
Small yellow-flowered medics.