Medicago laciniata aka Tattered Medick

Medicago laciniata is also known as tattered medick. It belongs to Fabaceae, the pea family. This annual plant has a broad native range. It grows in Macaronesia and parts of Africa. Its range includes western and southwestern Asia. It reaches east to the western Himalaya. In Africa, records include Ethiopia and Tanzania. They also include southern Africa. It grows in dry places with warm temperate to tropical climates.

The plant spreads and has weak stems that rise from the ground. Its stems branch near the base. Plants reach about 0.7–1.6 feet [0.2–0.5 metres] tall. The sources give no measured width for the plant. It grows in sandy deserts and on stony ground. It also grows in dry steppe, grassland, and woodland. Other sites include pasture and ground that people have disturbed. Some pasture sites flood at certain times of year. Records range from low ground to uplands. These reach about 7,220 feet [2,200 metres].

Grow it in full sun and light soil. Water must drain well from around the roots. Soil can have low or moderate fertility. The plant prefers a soil pH of 6.5 to 7.5. It can cope with pH 6 to 8. Once plants take root, they can cope with drought. The reported rainfall it prefers is 350 to 500 millimetres yearly. The wider reported range is 250–600 millimetres. It prefers daytime temperatures of 15–20°C. Its reported tolerance is 4–25°C. These figures do not show how much frost it can bear.

The plant can pollinate itself, so it is self-fertile. Sow seeds where you want the plants to grow. Certain soil bacteria live in root nodules, which are small lumps. They turn nitrogen from the air into forms plants can use. The plant uses some of this nitrogen. Nearby plants may gain some benefit too. The supplied records give no flower colour for this species. They give no bloom season or detailed account of leaves or fruit.

People gather the wild plant to use in drinks. The herb adds flavour to tea. People also mix it with boiled water and sugar. Useful Tropical Plants lists no known hazards for this species. This does not prove that every use is safe. Tests used extracts from the parts that grow above ground. These showed antimicrobial activity, which means they acted against microbes. Butanol extracts showed more activity than ethanol or water extracts. These tests alone do not prove a medical treatment is safe.