*Melilotus albus Medikus. White Melilot, White Sweetclover, Honeyclover. Phen: Apr-Oct. Hab: Fields, roadsides, disturbed areas. Dist: Native of Eurasia.

Origin/Endemic status: Eurasia

Taxonomy Comments: The similar M. albus and M. officinalis are apparently incompatible (Isely 1998) and differ in less obvious ways than flower color; they should not be synonymized, as was done by Kartesz (1999, 2010, 2022). Other differences useful in the determination of faded herbarium specimens are given by Isely (1998) and Yatskievych (2013): corolla 3.5-5 mm long, the wing petals about as long as the keel, ovaries narrowed at base, mature fruits with a network of raised nerves (M. albus) vs. corolla 5-7 mm long, the wing petals generally longer than the keel, ovaries noticeably stalked at base, mature fruits with a pattern of cross-nerves or merely with irregular cross-wrinkles (M. officinalis).

Synonymy: = Ar, FNA11.2, Il, Mi, NcTx, NE, NY, Tx, Va, WH3, Isely (1998), Stace (2010); = Melilotus alba – Bah, C, F, G, GrPl, Pa, RAB, S, S13, SE3, Tat, Tn, W, WV, orthographic variant; < Melilotus officinalis (L.) Pall. – K1, K3, K4

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Wetland Indicator Status:

• Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: FACU (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
• Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: FACU (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
• Great Plains: FACU (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
• Midwest: FACU (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
• Northcentral & Northeast: FACU (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)

Heliophily: 8