Plant Profile for Medicago lupulina (black medick)
Click on this Photograph of Medicago lupulina (black medick) to enlarge it and
... Printer-Friendly Profile of Medicago lupulina Printer-Friendly Version ...
plants.usda.gov/cgi_bin/plant_profile.cgi?symbol=MELU - 54k -
Medicago lupulina page
Medicago lupulina L. Family - Fabaceae. Stems - To 45cm tall but typically less,
erect to ascending, multiple from base, branching, from a taproot, ...
www.missouriplants.com/Yellowalt/ Medicago_lupulina_page.html - 4k -
Medicago lupulina
FABACEAE. Medicago lupulina. Return to Image Archive of Central Texas Plants.
inflorescence--look at the flowers carefully; do you see the small "slit" at ...
www.sbs.utexas.edu/mbierner/ bio406d/images/pics/fab/medicago_lupulina.htm - 3k -
Medicago lupulina (Fabaceae) - Plants of Hawaii: THUMBNAIL IMAGES
This page contains links to images of Medicago lupulina (family: Fabaceae) (Black
medic)
www.hear.org/starr/hiplants/ images/thumbnails/html/medicago_lupulina.htm - 5k -
Medicago lupulina - Black Medick
Medicago lupulina - Black Medick - pictures and identification guide.
www.first-nature.com/flowers/medicago_lupulina.htm - 21k -
Medicago lupulina
Medicago lupulina. Photo © Carl Farmer (7 Sep 2001 Cocklawburn, Northumbria).
Rare in Skye, casual on bare ground or in grass. Flowers c 2.5 cm long, ...
www.plant-identification.co.uk/ skye/leguminosae/medicago-lupulina.htm - 5k -
OSU Seed Biology Program - SeedID: FABACEAE - Medicago lupulina
SeedID. Medicago lupulina ... Lotus uliginosus; Medicago lupulina; Medicago sativa
subsp. sativa; Melilotus albus; Melilotus indicus; Melilotus officinalis ...
www.ag.ohio-state.edu/~seedbio/ seed_id/fabaceae/medicago_lupulina.html - 4k -
Black Medic, Medicago lupulina L.
Black Medic, Medicago lupulina L.1. David W. Hall and Vernon V. Vandiver2 ...
Scientific Name: Medicago lupulina L. Family: Leguminosae (Fabaceae) ...
edis.ifas.ufl.edu/FW026 - 8k -
Viruses of Plants - Known susceptibilities of Leguminosae ...
... Medicago hispida var. gracillima; Medicago polycarpa): Medicago lupulina (syn.
Medicago cupaniana; Medicago lupulina var. cupaniana): Black medic; ...
image.fs.uidaho.edu/vide/famly078.htm - 297k -
Henriette's plant photos: Medicago lupulina L.
medicago-lupulina-1 Photo name: medicago-lupulina-1 Flowering patch. Kew Garden,
London, UK. Planted. 2004-06-04. Engl.: black medic, black medick, ...
www.ibiblio.org/herbmed/pictures/ p09/pages/medicago-lupulina-1.htm
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http://www.answers.com/topic/alfalfa
al·fal·fa (ăl-făl'fə) 
n.
A southwest Asian perennial herb (Medicago sativa) having compound leaves with three leaflets and clusters of usually blue-violet flowers. It is widely cultivated as a pasture and hay crop.
[Spanish, from Arabic al-faṣfaṣa : al-, the + faṣfaṣa, alfalfa (variant of fiṣfiṣa, from Persian aspist, clover).]
| Alfalfa | ||||||||||||||||
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Medicago arabica | ||||||||||||||||
| Ref: ITIS 183622 (http://www.itis.usda.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=183622) as of 2002-07-31 |
Alfalfa (family: Fabaceae, the pea family) is a genus of perennial flowering plant, Medicago, most commonly referring to M. sativa L., also called lucerne.
Alfalfa is a perennial plant, living from five to twelve years, depending on variety and climate. It is a cool season perennial legume, growing to a height of 1 metre. It resembles clover with clusters of small purple flowers. It also has a deep root system sometimes stretching to 4.5 meters. This makes it very resilient, especially to droughts.
Alfalfa is native to Europe being found worldwide and most likely originated in the middle east, probably in Iran. It is widely grown throughout the world as forage for cattle most often harvested as hay having the highest feeding value of all common hay crops, being used less frequently as pasture or haylage. Like other legumes, its root nodules contain bacteria, like Rhizobium, with the ability to fix nitrogen, producing a high-protein feed regardless of available nitrogen in the soil.
Its wide cultivation beginning in the seventeenth century was an important advance in European agriculture. Its symbiotic relationship with nitrogen-fixing bacteria and use as animal feed greatly improved agricultural efficiency. When grown on soils where it is well-adapted, alfalfa is the highest yielding forage plant.
Alfalfa is one of the few plants that exhibit autotoxicity. Alfalfa seed will not grow in existing stands of alfalfa because of this. Therefore, alfalfa fields must be plowed down or rotated before reseeding.
Alfalfa sprouts are used as salad ingredient in the United States and Australia. The leading Alfalfa growing states are Wisconsin and California, with most of the latter state's production occurring in the Mojave Desert by means of irrigation provided by the California Aqueduct. Alfalfa is believed to be a galactagogue.
A few other species of Medicago are called alfalfa; others are called medick, barrelclover, or burclover.
Culture
Alfalfa can be sown spring or fall, and does best on well-drained soils with a neutral pH (6.8-7.5). Alfalfa requires a great deal of potash; soils low in fertility should be fertilzed with manure or a chemical fertilizer. Usually a seeding rate of 13 - 17 kg/hectare (12 - 15 lb/acre) in climatic acceptable regions and a rate of 22 kg/hectare (20 lb/acre) in southern regions is used . A nurse crop is often used, particularly for spring plantings, to reduce weed problems. Herbicides are sometimes used instead.
In most climates, alfalfa is cut three or four times a year. Total yields are typically around 1 tonne/hectare (4 ton/acre) but vary regionally and with weather, and with stage of maturity when cut. Later cuttings improve yield but reduce nutritional content.
The alfalfa leafhopper can reduce yields dramatically, particularly with the second cutting when weather is warmest. Chemical controls are sometimes used to prevent this. Alfalfa is also susceptible to Texas Root Rot. The plant is also eaten by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Latticed Heath.
Alfalfa seed production requires cultured pollinators to be provided for the fields when in bloom. The pollinator of choice are the ground nesting alfalfa leafcutter bee, which is cultured in special beds near the seed fields, or honeybees which are trucked to the fields when needed.
Harvesting
When alfalfa is to be used as hay, it is usually cut and baled. Loose haystacks are still used in some areas, but bales are much easier to transport. Ideally, the hay is cut just as the field is beginning to flower. When using farm equipment rather than hand-harvesting, the process begins with a swather, which cuts the alfalfa and arranges it in windrows. After it has dried, a tractor pulling a baler collects the hay into bales. There are three types of bales commonly used for alfalfa. Small "square" bales--actually rectilinear, and typically about 15 in x 18 in x 38 in (38 x 46 x 96 cm)--are used for small animals and individual horses. The small square bales can easily be hand separated into "flakes."
Cattle ranches use large round bales, typically 4.5 to 6 feet (1.4 to 1.8 meters) in diameter and weighing upwards of 1,000 pounds. These bales can be placed in stable stacks, placed in large feeders for herds of horses, and unrolled on the ground for large herds of cattle. The bales can be loaded and stacked using a spike on a tractor that pierces the center of the bale, or with a grapple (claw) on the tractor's front-end loader.
A more recent innovation is large "square" bales, roughly the same proportions as the small squares, but much larger. The bale size was set so that stacks would fit perfectly on a large flatbed truck.
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Herb Database + Images - Alfalfa
Medicinal and other uses of herb Medicago sativa. Also M. lupulina. ...
Benefits digestive and blood systems, bladder and prostate. ...13k
http://earthnotes.tripod.com/alfalfa.htm
aka Lucerne
[MU-SU]
(Medicago sativa)
Image
CAUTION: Can aggravate lupus and other autoimmune disorders. Avoid with these conditions.
CONTAINS: Rich in protein, calcium, and trace minerals. Also weak phyto estrogens.
High in cobalt, crude fiber, dietary fiber, niacin, complete protein, riboflavin, Vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, B12, C, D, E, K, U, betacarotene, pectin, trace copper, organic salt.
Rich in chlorophyll, phosphorus, iron, potassium, chlorine, sodium, silicon, and magnesium
High in alkalizing salts, especially sodium phosphate.
Has 8 amino acids and Vitamin P (rutin).
The ash produces a nearly pure calcium.
A field perennial with a deep tap root, it is used in agriculture to break up heavy soils and bring up valuable nutrients from subsoils. Also fixes nitrogen in the soil. Mixed with clover it makes a soil replenishing cover. Good green manure.
PROPAGATION: By seed.
HARVEST: Leaves and flowers while flowering. Seeds gathered for sprouting.
MEDICINAL:
Primarily used as a blood detoxifier and nutritional supplement.Mildly laxative and diuretic.Good for acid stomach, alcoholism, allergies, anemia, appetite stimulant, arthritis, cancer, cholesterol, cramps, diabetes, fatigue, fever, glandular problems, gout, high blood pressure, jaundice, kidney cleanser, improving lactation, radiation damage, ulcers, urinary tract problems, vitamin and mineral deficiency.Used as a bitter digestive remedy; general tonic; antipyretic; alterative; diuretic (weak); for acid conditions in general; and for inflammations; arthritis; rheumatism.Possibly anticholesterolemic (octacosanol) and hypoglycemic (lowering blood sugar due to alkaloids present); antithrombotic (due to coumarins); antispasmodic for smooth muscles (flavonoids).Benefits digestive and blood systems, bladder and prostate.Aids in chemical imbalances.Used as a blood cleanser (i.e. toxemia in pregnancy).Neutralizes uric acid in cases of arthritis and bursitis. Used for arthritis, pain and stiffnessAids in preventing cholesterol buildup in veins.Has beneficial effect on pituitary gland.Used for hyperacidity (reduces gastric acid production); good acid balancer and digestive aid (best with peppermint and taken between meals); taken for stomach ailments and ulcerous conditions.Used for water retention.Used for colds (add chopped mint and some orange or lemon rind to juice.)Useful for protein allergies (sinus, hay fever, milk, eggs, etc.); ulcers; anemia; menopause (weak phyto estrogens).Used for cystitis, bladder inflammations, sluggish appetite, alcoholism (nutrition support); chronic appendicitis; cramps (calcium content); diabetes (lowers sugar); fatigue, fever, glandular problems, gout, hemorrhages, high blood pressure, jaundice, kidney cleanser, lactation (to promote); teeth; urinary tract problems; vitamin and mineral deficiencies.Possibly some anti-cancer activityReputed to reduce tissue damage of radiation therapy.Some activity shown against gram negative bacteria.Appears to be some antitumor activityReports of some success in rheumatoid arthritis by taking tablets.Often taken mixed in water combined with cider vinegar for arthritis.Aids in assimilation of protein and calcium; will assist in changing body systems from acid to alkaline.Helps to produce saliva.High in Vitamin K to produce clotting of blood.Saponin content believed to deep clean cells and bind serum cholesterol, radioactive deposits and toxins for elimination.Leaf alkaloids strengthen nervous system; beneficial effect on pituitary gland; relieves pain and inflammation.Taken as infusion, extract or powdered capsule form.Mixes well with vegetable or fruit juices.In Chinese medicine it is known as MU-SU and used by them for ulcers, to stimulate the appetite and strengthen the digestive tract.
DOSE: TRADITIONAL DOSAGES FOR PROFESSIONAL NOTE ONLY
All others buy commercial preparations and follow directions carefully.
EXTRACT = 9 grams of dry herb macerated in 45 ml alcohol and 45 ml water.
TEA = 1 Tbsp to 8 oz water.
VINEGAR = Add 1 oz powdered herb to 1 quart cider vinegar. Take 1 tsp in tepid water daily for nutrition and tonic.
CULINARY:
Seeds are sprouted and eaten.
ANIMAL:
A valuable livestock fodder, tonic and nervine, but in large quanities can lead to bloating due to saponin content.
DYE:
A good tendency toward lightfastness. Produces shades of yellow with no mordant.
A related species Medicago lupulina (Black Medic) is not as lightfast but is a useful dye plant producing: light yellow green with alum (some fading); golden tan with chrome; gray-green with copper; lemon yellow with tin (some fading); gray-green with iron (some fading); ivory with no mordant.
OTHER:
The use of alfalfa meal on the compost pile will insure keeping the pile 'hot' and speeding up decompostion.
As a cover crop it fixes nitrogen in the soil. The deep roots help to break up clay and hard pan soils. Makes a good green manure.
HISTORY:
Once introduced onto the North American continent, the Native Americans collected the seeds, ground them into flour to thicken gruel and added to bread. Also used young shoots and leaves as greens.
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