Melilotus officinalis

Melilotus officinalis
Melilotus officinalis
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Rosids
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Subfamily: Faboideae
Tribe: Trifolieae
Genus: Melilotus
Species: M. officinalis
Binomial name
Melilotus officinalis
(L.) Pall.
Melilotus officinalis

Melilotus officinalis, known as the yellow sweet clover, yellow melilot, ribbed melilot or common melilot is a species of legume native to Eurasia and introduced in North America, Africa and Australia.

Contents

Description

This biennial plant is 2 to 4 feet high at maturity and blooms in spring and summer. Flowers are yellow. Its characteristic sweet odor, intensified by drying, is derived from coumarin. It has a bitter taste.

Ecology

This plant is very common as it can adapt itself to various soils (but especially likes alkaline soils) and climates. It is resistant to drought and has abundant seed production. In some areas it is an invasive species. Common places where it can be found include prairies, abandoned fields, roadsides, and railroad ballasts. It does not tolerate dense shade.

Toxicology

Sweet clover contains coumarin that converts to dicoumarol (a powerful anticoagulant toxin) when the plant becomes moldy. This can lead to bleeding diseases (internal hemorrhaging) and death in cattle. Consequently, hay containing the plant must be properly dried and cured, especially in wet environments.[1]

Uses

This plant is mainly used for agricultural purposes. It is grown as hay despite its toxic properties when moldy. It is considered an excellent green manure. Also, sweet clover is a major source of nectar for domestic honey bees. Flowers and seeds can be used as flavoring.[citation needed]

In the chemical industry, dicoumarol is extracted from the plant to produce rodenticides.[citation needed]

References

External links


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Melilotus officinalis —   Trébol de olor amarillo Melilotus officinalis …   Wikipedia Español

  • Melilotus officinalis — Mélilot officinal Mélilot officinal …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Melilotus officinalis — Gelber Steinklee Gelber Steinklee (Melilotus officinalis) Systematik Unterklasse: Rosenähnliche (Rosidae) …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Melilotus officinalis — geltonžiedis barkūnas statusas T sritis vardynas apibrėžtis Pupinių šeimos pašarinis, prieskoninis, vaistinis, medingas nuodingas augalas (Melilotus officinalis), paplitęs šiaurės Afrikoje, Europoje ir Azijoje. Iš jo gaminami maisto priedai… …   Lithuanian dictionary (lietuvių žodynas)

  • MELILOTUS OFFICINALIS LAM. - ДОННИК ЖЕЛТЫЙ — см. 432. Двулетнее растение. Однолетнее растение. M. officinalis Lam. Д. желтый Lam. Fl. Fr. II (1778) 594. Культ. фл. XIII, 1 (1950) 386. Гейдеман (1962) 257. S y n. Trifolium officinalis Willd.; Melilotus macrorhiza Pers. М е с т н. н а з в.… …   Справочник растений

  • Melilotus officinalis var. micranthus — geltonžiedis barkūnas statusas T sritis vardynas apibrėžtis Pupinių šeimos pašarinis, prieskoninis, vaistinis, medingas nuodingas augalas (Melilotus officinalis), paplitęs šiaurės Afrikoje, Europoje ir Azijoje. Iš jo gaminami maisto priedai… …   Lithuanian dictionary (lietuvių žodynas)

  • Melilotus officinalis — ID 52935 Symbol Key MEOF Common Name yellow sweetclover Family Fabaceae Category Dicot Division Magnoliophyta US Nativity Introduced to U.S. US/NA Plant Yes State Distribution AK, AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, HI, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY …   USDA Plant Characteristics

  • Melilotus officinalis — noun biennial yellow flowered Eurasian plant having aromatic leaves used as carminative or flavoring agent; widely cultivated especially as green manure or cover crop • Syn: ↑yellow sweet clover • Hypernyms: ↑melilotus, ↑melilot, ↑sweet clover …   Useful english dictionary

  • Melilotus officinalis — …   Википедия

  • ДОННИК ЛЕКАРСТВЕННЫЙ, ИЛИ ЖЕЛТЫЙ (MELILOTUS OFFICINALIS (L.) DESR.) — см. донник лекарственный; донник белый Двулетник со стержневым корнем и ветвистыми крепкими прямостоячими стеблями высотой 1 2 м, а в особо благоприятных условиях и до 3 м. Листья тройчатые, с округлыми или ланцетными листочками, по краю… …   Лyговые травянистые растения

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