Relatives

Onobrychis inermis Stev. - Unarmed Sainfoin.

Taxonomic position.

Family Fabaceae Lindl., genus Onobrychis Mill.

Synonyms.

Onobrychis sativa var. subinermis Boiss.

Morphology and biology.

Perennial herbaceous plant. Stems 30-60 cm tall, subglabrous, branched in upper part. Stipules fused, ovate, ciliate. Lower leaves 6-8-paired, with oblong-elliptic leaflets; upper leaves 4-5-paired with linear-oblong leaflets. Racemes twice as long as leaves. Calyx 5-6 mm long, its teeth linear-subulate. Corolla 7-9 mm, pink. Pod 4-6 mm long, semicircular, without teeth. Flowers in July, fruits in August. Self-incompatible, cross-pollinated plant. 2n=16.

Distribution.

Crimea, Caucasus. Endemic.

Ecology.

In montane and steppe meadows, on slopes.

Economic value.

Valuable forage plant.

References:

Galushko AI. 1980. Flora of the North Caucasus: Handbook. V.2. 352 p. (In Russian).
Grossheim AA. 1952. Flora of Caucasus. 2nd ed. V.5. P.358-376. (In Russian).
Vassilyeva LI. 1987. Sainfoin - Onobrychis Mill. In: Fedorov AA., Tzvelev NN., eds. Flora of the European part of the USSR. V.6. P.93-98. (In Russian).
Grossheim AA. 1948. Sainfoin - Onobrychis Adans. In: Shishkin BK., Bobrov EG., eds. Flora URSS. V.13. P.319-367. (In Russian).

© N.I.Dzyubenko, E.A.Dzyubenko

© Photo by E.A.Dzyubenko
 

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