Medicago polymorpha, Medicago hispida, California burclover,
Bur Clover, Burr medic, Toothed bur clover, Toothed medick,
Hebrew: אספסת מצויה, Arabic: الفصة متعددة الأشكال, Egypt: نفل "Nafal"

Scientific name:  Medicago polymorpha L.
Synonym name:  Medicago hispida Gaertner, Medicago denticulata Willd.
Common name:  California burclover, Bur Clover, Burr medic, Toothed bur clover, Toothed medick
Hebrew name:   אספסת מצויה
Arabic name:  الفصة متعددة الأشكال
Egypt:  نفل "Nafal"
Plant Family:  Papilionaceae, פרפרניים

Medicago polymorpha, Medicago hispida,  California burclover, Bur Clover, Burr medic, Toothed bur clover, Toothed medick,الفصة متعددة الأشكال,אספסת

Life form:  Annual
Stems:  45-60 cm high; erect, prostrate or ascending, branched at base, subquadrangular, hairless
Leaves:  Alternate, compound, trifoliate, dentate or serrate
Inflorescence:  Raceme, axillary, 2–6-flowered
Flowers:  Yellow, pea-like flowers, calyx ± 3 mm; corolla 3.5–6 mm, standard obovate, emarginate
Fruits / pods:  Flattened, coiled pod
Flowering Period:   March, April
Habitat:  Batha, Phrygana
Distribution:  Mediterranean Woodlands and Shrublands, Semi-steppe shrublands, Shrub-steppes, Deserts and extreme deserts, Montane vegetation of Mt. Hermon
Chorotype:   Euro-Siberian - Med - Irano-Turanian
Summer shedding:  Ephemeral

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Derivation of the botanical name:
Medicago, from Medike, or medick, the Greek name for alfalfa, which came to Greece from Medea.
polymorpha, polymorphos, πολυμορφοϛ, multiform; taking many forms, variable.
hispida, rough, shaggy, bristly.
denticulata, denticulate, with very small teeth.
The Hebrew name: אספסת, aspheset, Aramaic-Syrian: אספסתא; from Persian ispist, isjist, whence also Arabic isfast.
  • The standard author abbreviation L. is used to indicate Carl Linnaeus (1707 – 1778), a Swedish botanist, physician, and zoologist, the father of modern taxonomy.
  • The standard author abbreviation Gaertner is used to indicate Joseph Gaertner (1732 – 1791), a German botanist.
  • The standard author abbreviation Willd. is used to indicate Carl Ludwig von Willdenow (1765 – 1812), a German botanist, pharmacist, and plant taxonomist.