Medicago

Medicago
Medicago littoralis
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Magnoliophyta
Class:	Magnoliopsida
Order:	Fabales
Family:	Fabaceae
Subfamily:	Faboideae
Tribe:	Trifolieae
Genus:	Medicago L.
Type species
Medicago sativa
Species
See text.

Medicago (family: Fabaceae, the legume family) is a genus of flowering plants, commonly known as medick or burclover. The best known member of the genus is alfalfa (M. sativa), an important crop^[1]. The species Medicago truncatula is a model legume^[2] due to its relatively small stature, genome (450–500Mb), short generation time (~3 months) and ability to reproduce both by outcrossing and selfing.

The Medicago genus contains 83 species, including the agriculturally important alfalfa (M. sativa), and is distributed mainly around the Mediterranean basin. Comprehensive descriptions of the genus are Lesinš and Lesinš 1979^[3] and Small and Jomphe 1989^[4]. Major collections are SARDI (Australia)^[5], USDA-GRIN (USA)^[6], ICARDA (Syria)^[7], and the INRA collection in Montpellier (France)^[8]. Several molecular phylogenies containing most of the species are available, although they differ.^{[9] [10]}

Most members of the family are low, creeping herbs. However, alfalfa grows to a height of 1 meter, and tree medick (M. arborea) is a shrub.

Ecological Interactions with Other Organisms

Symbiosis With Nitrogen-fixing Rhizobia

Béna et al. (2005) constructed a molecular phylogeny of 23 Sinorhizobium strains and tested the symbiotic ability of 6 strains with 35 Medicago species.^[9] Comparison of these phylogenies indicates many transitions in the compatibility of the association over evolutionary time. Furthermore, they propose that the geographical distribution of strains limits the distribution of particular Medicago species.

Agricultural Uses

Other than alfalfa, several of the creeping members of the family (such as Medicago lupulina and Medicago truncatula) have been used as forage crops.

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Insect Herbivores

Medicago species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Common Swift, Flame, Latticed Heath, Lime-speck Pug, Nutmeg, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Turnip Moth and case-bearers of the genus Coleophora including C. frischella (recorded on M. sativa) and C. fuscociliella (feeds exclusively on Medicago spp).^{[citation needed]}

List of Species

This list is compiled from ^{[11][12][13][14][15][16]}.

References