Leguminosae - pea family

Gerald A. Mulligan (Agriculture Canada, Ottawa, retired) 1600 Apeldoorn Ave., Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, K2C1V5 Click here to go to Weed Photos for this family Amphicarpaea bracteata (L.) Fernald, hog-peanut, amphicarpe bracteolée Its twining habit of grown often results in a tangle of vegetation. It occurs along the margins of streams, rivers, and lakes in the eastern half our area. It is often confused with poison-ivy. However, the herbaceous and twining stems of hog-peanut easily differentiate it from poison-ivy, a plant with woody and non-twining stems. Hog-peanut does not cause a dermatitis. Lotus corniculatus L., bird’s-foot trefoil, lotier corniculé Prostrate to semi-prostrate perennial; flowers yellow, often red-tinged. It is presently utilized throughout our area as a forage crop, and as an embankment stabilizer. Some populations have become naturalized and are becoming locally common in ditches, along roadsides, and in lawns and waste places. Medicago lupulina L., black medick, lupuline Annual or winter annual, reproducing by seeds; autogamous; mainly prostrate; flowers yellow; seeds black; throughout; cultivated fields, pastures, roadsides , and waste places; often forms solid stands along roadsides and in very stressed habitats in settlements; introduced from Europe. Melilotus albus Medik., white sweet-clover, mélilot blanc Annual spreading by seeds; flowering stems up to 8 feet (24 dm.) high; flowers white; throughout; roadsides and waste places; a very common fringe plant along roadsides in some areas; introduced from Europe. Sometimes grown for forage, as a cover crop, or for green manure. Melilotus officinalis (L.) Pall., yellow sweet-clover, mélilot jaune Annual, spreading by seeds; flowering stems up to 7 feet (21 dm.) high; flowers yellow; roadsides and waste places; a very common fringe plant along roadsides in some areas; introduced from Europe. Vicia cracca L., tufted vetch, vesce jargeau Perennial, frequently twining around other plants; spreading by seeds and rootstocks; allogamous; flowers purple to blue; throughout, but most common in the east; meadows, pastures, row crops, gardens, roadsides, and waste places; introduced from Europe. Click on a photo to view an enlarged image. Weed Name Photo Weed Name Photo hog-peanut, amphicarpe bracteolée hog-peanut, amphicarpe bracteolée (climbing) hog-peanut, amphicarpe bracteolée (2 leaves) bird’s-foot trefoil, lotier corniculé bird’s-foot trefoil, lotier corniculé (flowers close up) bird’s-foot trefoil, lotier corniculé (general view) black medick, lupuline black medick, lupuline (in fruit) black medick, lupuline (seedlings) white sweet-clover, mélilot blanc white sweet-clover, mélilot blanc (flowers) white sweet-clover, mélilot blanc white sweet-clover, mélilot blanc white sweet-clover, mélilot blanc (seedlings) yellow sweet-clover, mélilot jaune (flowers) yellow sweet-clover, mélilot jaune (in field) yellow sweet-clover, mélilot jaune yellow sweet-clover, mélilot jaune tufted vetch, vesce jargeau tufted vetch, vesce jargeau tufted vetch, vesce jargeau tufted vetch, vesce jargeau (young plant) tufted vetch, vesce jargeau (3 seedlings)