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Melilotus indicus, Annual Yellow Sweetclover
Scientific Name:Melilotus indicus Common Name: Annual Yellow Sweetclover
Also Called: Bokhara Clover, Californian Lucerne, Common Melilot, Hexham Scent, Indian Sweet-clover, King Island Clover, King Island Melilot, Small-flowered Melilot, Small-flowered Sweet Clover, Small Melilot, Sour Clover, Sweet Clover, Sweet Melilot (Spanish: Trèbol Agrio, Trèbol Amarillo, Alfalfilla, Meliloto).
Growth Form: Annual Yellow Sweetclover is an upright forb/herb that is without hairs (glabrous).
Leaves: Annual Yellow Sweetclover has green compound leaves; there are 3 leaflets such as a clover leaf; the upper parts of the leaflets are serrulate.
Flower Color: Annual Yellow Sweetclover has yellow flowers; the fruits are pods typically with 1 seed.
Flowering Season: April or May to July and September; blooms April through October in California.
Elevation: Below 4,500 feet (1,372 m).
Habitat Preferences: Open disturbed areas; along roadsides, ditches and in fields.
Recorded Range: Annual Yellow Sweet-clover is an invasive species in the United States, mostly in all border states. In Arizona it occurs in the west and southern parts of the state.
North America species range map for Annual Yellow Sweetclover, Melilotus indicus:
Click image for full size map.
U.S. Weed Information:Melilotus indicus is listed in:
Weeds of Kentucky and adjacent states: a field guide;
Weeds of the Northeast,
Weeds of Nebraska and the Great Plains;
Weeds of the United States and Canada;
Weeds of the West.
U.S. Invasive/Noxious Weed Information: In North America, according to Invasive.org (Invasive and Exotic Species of North America), Melilotus indicus is listed as an invasive species by the following authorities:
Jil M. Swearingen, Survey of invasive plants occurring on National Park Service lands, 2000-2007
National Park Service, Mid-Atlantic Exotic Plant Management Team Invasive Plant List
Weed US - Database of Plants Invading Natural Areas in the United States
Wetland Indicator: In North America Melilotus indicus has the following wetland designations;
Arid West, FACU;
Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain, FACU;
Eastern Mountains and Piedmont, FACU;
Great Plains, FACU;
Hawaii, UPL;
Midwest, FACU;
Northcentral & Northeast, FACU;
Western Mountains, Valleys, and Coast, FACU.
FACU = Facultative Upland, usually occur in non-wetlands, but may occur in wetlands
UPL = Obligate Upland, almost never occur in wetlands
Threatened/Endangered Information: Unknown
Genus Information: In North America, USDA Plants Database lists 14 species and 17 accepted taxa overall for Melilotus. Worldwide, World Flora Online includes 35 accepted species names and a further 38 scientific names of infraspecific rank for the genus. The Plant List has 25 records for Melilotus which includes sub-species.
The genus Melilotus was published in 1754 by Philip Miller, (1691-1771).
In the Southwestern United States: Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas and Utah each have 2introduced species. Data approximate, subject to revision.
Comments: Annual Yellow Sweetclover is similar in appearance to Yellow Sweet-clover (Melilotus officinalis) however flowers on Annual Yellow Sweet-clover are smaller, usually not more than 2.5mm long and the stems are commonly less than 1 meter long.
According to several authors, Melilotus indicus has poisonous properties to humans and other mammals including livestock in Australia, Britain and South Africa.
Pammel, L. H. 1911. Manual of poisonous plants.
Kellerman, T. S. et al. 1988. Plant poisonings and mycotoxicoses of livestock in Southern Africa.
Cooper, M. R. & A. W. Johnson. 1998. Poisonous plants and fungi in Britain: animal and human poisoning.
Everest, S. L. 1981. Poisonous plants of Australia.
Importance to Wildlife, Birds and Livestock
Annual Yellow Sweetclover, Melilotus indicus has attractive flowers, the flowers and their seeds may be visited by hummingbirds and/or small mammals including rodents and granivorous birds in search of nectar or food.
Beneficial Value to Butterflies, Honey Bees and Insects
Annual Yellow Sweetclover, Melilotus indicus has attractive flowers, the flowers and their plants may be visited by butterflies, moths, flies, honeybees, Native Bees and other insects in search of food and nectar.
According to J.B. Hacker, 1990, A guide to herbaceous and shrub legumes of Queensland University, Queensland Press, Melilotus indicus is important for honey production in St. Lucia, Australia.
Etymology:
The genus “Melilotus” (Melilo'tus:) is from the Greek words meli, "honey," and lotos, a leguminous plant.
The genus Melilotus was published in 1754 by Philip Miller, (1691-1771).
The species epithet “indicus” (in'dicus:) means that this plant is of, or from, or referring to India.
