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Melilotus officinalis (L.) Lam.
sweetclover

   
Symbol: MEOF
Group: Dicot
Family: Fabaceae
Duration: Annual
Biennial
Perennial
Growth Habit: Forb/herb
Native Status:  
L48    I
AK    I
HI    I
PR    I
CAN    I
GL    I
SPM    I



   
Other common names:
  white sweetclover
  yellow sweetclover
  ribbed melilot
  field melilot
  cornilla real
Photograph of Melilotus officinalis (L.) Lam.
Robert H. Mohlenbrock. USDA NRCS. 1992. Western wetland flora: Field office guide to plant species. West Region, Sacramento. Courtesy of USDA NRCS Wetland Science Institute.
 
More Information:
  • Characteristics Report
  • Classification Report
  • Plant Guide in Adobe™ PDF
  • Plant Guide in Microsoft Word™
  • Data Source and Documentation
  • Large Photograph
  • High-resolution Photograph in JPEG Format
Synonym Information:
  • MEAL12: Characteristics
 

Images:
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Synonyms:
Melilotus officinalis (L.) Lam.

  MEAL12 Melilotus alba Medikus, orth. var.   white sweetclover, yellow sweetclover
  MEAL2 Melilotus albus Medik.   Bokhara-clover, honey-clover, white melilot, white sweet-clover, meliloto blanco
  MEALA2 Melilotus albus Medik. var. annuus Coe  
  MEAR15 Melilotus arvensis Wallr.  
  MELE6 Melilotus leucanthus W.D.J. Koch ex DC.  
  MELU6 Melilotus lutea Gueldenst.  
  MEOFM2 Melilotus officinalis (L.) Lam. var. micranthus O.E. Schulz  
 

Distribution by State:
Melilotus officinalis (L.) Lam.

Distributional Map for Melilotus officinalis (L.) Lam.
Distribution Map Legend

Melilotus officinalis (L.) Lam. distribution:
USA (AK, AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, HI, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, MT, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, VT, WA, WI, WV, WY), USA+ (PR), CAN (AB, BC, LB, MB, NB, NF, NS, NT, ON, PE, QC, SK, YT), DEN (GL), FRA (SPM)

County distributions for the following U.S. states are available at PLANTS:
AK, AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, HI, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, MT, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, VT, WA, WI, WV, WY

 

Related Taxa:
Melilotus officinalis (L.) Lam.

236 genera in Fabaceae, 14 species in Melilotus
 

Classification:
Melilotus officinalis (L.) Lam.

     
Kingdom   Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom   Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Superdivision   Spermatophyta – Seed plants
Division   Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
Class   Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons
Subclass   Rosidae
Order   Fabales
Family   Fabaceae – Pea family
Genus   Melilotus Mill. – sweetclover
Species   Melilotus officinalis (L.) Lam. – sweetclover
 

U.S. Weed Information:
Melilotus officinalis (L.) Lam.

yellow sweetclover
Melilotus alba
white sweetclover

This plant and the related entities and synonyms italicized and indented above can be weedy or invasive according to the authoritative sources noted below. This plant may be known by one or more common names in different places, and some are listed above.

KY Haragan, P.D. 1991. Weeds of Kentucky and adjacent states: a field guide. The University Press of Kentucky. Lexington, Kentucky.
NE&GP Stubbendieck, J., G.Y. Friisoe, & M.R. Bolick. 1994. Weeds of Nebraska and the Great Plains. Nebraska Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Plant Industry. Lincoln, Nebraska.
SEEPPC Southeast Exotic Pest Plant Council. 1996. Invasive exotic pest plants in Tennessee (http://www.tneppc.org/TNEPPC2004PlantList-8x11.pdf, 19 October 1999). Research Committee of the Tennessee Exotic Pest Plant Council. Tennessee.
SWSS Southern Weed Science Society. 1998. Weeds of the United States and Canada. CD-ROM. Southern Weed Science Society. Champaign, Illinois.
WI Hoffman, R. & K. Kearns (eds.). 1997. Wisconsin manual of control recommendations for ecologically invasive plants. Wisconsin Dept. Natural Resources. Madison, Wisconsin.
WSWS Whitson, T.D. (ed.) et al. 1996. Weeds of the West. Western Society of Weed Science in cooperation with Cooperative Extension Services, University of Wyoming. Laramie, Wyoming.
 

Introduced Information:
Melilotus officinalis (L.) Lam.

This plant is introduced to some part of the PLANTS Floristic Area, though it may be native in other parts.
 

Wetland Indicator Status:
Melilotus officinalis (L.) Lam.

Nat. Ind. Reg. 1 Reg. 2 Reg. 3 Reg. 4 Reg. 5 Reg. 6 Reg. 7 Reg. 8 Reg. 9 Reg. 0 Reg. A Reg. C Reg. H
FACU-,FACU+ FACU- FACU- FACU FACU- FACU FACU FACU+ FACU FACU FACU FACU NO NO

Melilotus alba:

Nat. Ind. Reg. 1 Reg. 2 Reg. 3 Reg. 4 Reg. 5 Reg. 6 Reg. 7 Reg. 8 Reg. 9 Reg. 0 Reg. A Reg. C Reg. H
UPL,FACU+ FACU- FACU- FACU FACU- FACU FACU FACU+ FACU FACU FACU+ FACU FACU UPL

 

Wildlife Habitat Values:
Melilotus officinalis (L.) Lam.

  Large Mammals Small Mammals Water Birds Terrestrial Birds
Source Large Mammals Food Large Mammals Cover Small Mammals Food Small Mammals Cover Water Birds Food Water Birds Cover Terrestrial Birds Food Terrestrial Birds Cover
Yarrow Low   Low       Low  
Wildlife Habitat Values

 

Yarrow, G.K., and D.T. Yarrow. 1999. Managing wildlife. Sweet Water Press, Birmingham.

 

Integrated Taxonomic Information Sytem (ITIS) :
Melilotus officinalis (L.) Lam.

ITIS Taxonomic Serial Number 26150.

 

 

 

 
Time Generated: 01/04/2013 10:18 AM CST