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Yellow and Orange Wildflower Gallery

Bilateral Symmetry - Legume Family - Clover

        

Fabaceae (Leguminosae) - Legume family
Annual Yellow Sweet Clover Melilotus indicus
Yellow flowers on short spike, 1/2"-2" long. Leaves are divided into 3 leaflets, long oval, serrated edge, blunt end. Plant can grow to 2 feet tall and spreading. Dried leaves smell like vanilla. Plant is cultivated to add nitrogen to the soil and nectar for bees.
Photos taken in Taylor County, Texas, April 2005
(Introduced, native of Eurasia and Africa - Taylor, Coleman, Brown, Coke)

Similar Species

Yellow Sweet Clover Melilotus officinalis
Tiny yellow flowers on long flimsy spike. Leaves are divided into 3 spade-shaped leaflets with the center one on a longer stem, serrated edge. Plant can grow to 4 feet tall. Dried leaves smell like vanilla. Plant is cultivated to add nitrogen to the soil. Drought resistant.
(Introduced, native of Europe - Taylor, Jones, Callahan, Coleman, Brown, Coke)

     

Fabaceae (Leguminosae) - Legume family
Burclover Medicago polymorpha
Bilateral flower about 1/8" wide grow in small clusters. Leaves are paired along the stem. Plant can be sprawling 18" wide or 18" tall. Small round seed pods look like stickers but have soft prickles until dry. When green, seedpods can be unwound in a spiral.
Photos taken in Taylor County, Texas, April 2005
(Introduced, native of the Mediterranean - Taylor, Callahan, Brown, Coke)

                    

Fabaceae (Leguminosae) - Legume family
Little Burclover Medicago minima
Ground hugger. Flowers look like Medicago polymorpha but smaller. Leaves are small and new growth is hairy.
Photos taken in Taylor County, Texas, May 2004, May-June 2006
(Introduced, native of the Mediterranean - Taylor, etc.)

        

Fabaceae (Leguminosae) - Legume family
Black Medick Medicago lupulina
Tiny bilateral flowers grow in 1/4" long clusters. Leaves are divided into 3 leaflets, toothed at tip. Plant grows to 12" tall from a taproot. Flat, round seed pods.
Photos taken in Taylor County, Texas, April 2005
(Introduced, native of Eurasia - Coke)

Other Species in My Area

Spotted Medick Medicago arabica
Yellow pea flower. 3 triangular to heart-shaped leaves often have maroon mark in middle.
(Introduced, native of Mediterranean - Callahan, Coleman)

Button Clover Medicago orbicularis
Yellow pea flower. 3 triangular leaves. Plant grows to over 3 feet tall. Pod is a large flat coil, no spines.
(Introduced, native of Mediterranean - Taylor, Callahan, Brown)