''Medicago intertexta'', the hedgehog medick,
Calvary clover, or Calvary medick, is a flowering plant of the family ''Fabaceae''. It is found primarily in the western Mediterranean basin. It forms a
symbiotic
Symbiosis (from Greek , , "living together", from , , "together", and , bíōsis, "living") is any type of a close and long-term biological interaction between two different biological organisms, be it mutualistic, commensalistic, or parasit ...
relationship with the bacterium ''
Sinorhizobium medicae
''Ensifer'' (often referred to in literature by its synonym ''Sinorhizobium'') is a genus of nitrogen-fixing bacteria (rhizobia), three of which (''Ensifer meliloti'', ''Ensifer medicae'' and '' Ensifer fredii'') have been sequenced.
Etymology
T ...
'', which is capable of
nitrogen fixation
Nitrogen fixation is a chemical process by which molecular nitrogen (), with a strong triple covalent bond, in the air is converted into ammonia () or related nitrogenous compounds, typically in soil or aquatic systems but also in industry. Atmo ...
.
A form with red-blotched leaves was formerly much grown as a garden plant.
Gallery
Image:Medicago intertexta seeds.JPG, seeds
References
External links
International Legume Database & Information Services
intertexta
Taxa named by Philip Miller
Flora of Malta
{{Trifolieae-stub