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Key to Medicago

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1 Legume 1-seeded, reniform, black at maturity; corolla 2-3 mm long
1 Legume several-seeded, spirally coiled or falcate, tan to dark brown; corolla 3-11 mm long.
  2 Plants perennial, mostly erect or ascending, 2-8 (-10) dm tall; corolla 6-11 mm long, violet, yellow, or varicolored; legumes spineless.
    3 Corollas purple or violet (rarely white); legumes with (1.5-) 2-6 coils
    3 Corollas yellow, or variegated yellow and violet; legumes merely falcate or with < 1.5 coils.
      4 Corollas yellow; legumes falcate (less than 0.5 coil).
      4 Corollas variegated yellw/violet (sometimes green, yellow, or violet); legumes with 0.8-1.4 coils
  2 Plants annual, mostly prostrate or ascending, 1-6 dm tall; corolla 3-6 mm long, yellow; legumes spiny (except lacking spines in M. orbicularis).
        5 Stipules entire or slightly dentate (M. minima) or the base only of the stipule lacerate (M. laciniata); plants pilose (M. minima) or glabrous (M. laciniata).
          6 Stipules lacerate at the base; plant glabrous
          6 Stipules entire or slightly dentate; plant pilose
        5 Stipules lacerate; plants glabrous or sparsely pubescent.
             7 Legume lacking spines; stipules deeply lacerate, the sinuses extending nearly to the base
             7 Legume spiny; stipules shallowly to deeply lacerate.
               8 Leaflets appressed lanate below; calyces 4-6 mm long, appressed lanate
               8 Leaflets glabrous beneath; calyces 2-3.5 mm long, glabrous or strigose.
                 9 Leaflets 0.7-1.1× as long as wide, usually marked with a central dark spot; leaflet tip usually strongly notched; stipules shallowly lacerate, the sinuses extending < ½ way to the base
                 9 Leaflets 1-2× as long as wide, not marked with a central dark spot; leaflet tip not strongly notched; stipules deeply lacerate, the sinuses extending > ½ way to the base