| Melilotus indicus | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Rosids |
| Order: | Fabales |
| Family: | Fabaceae |
| Genus: | Melilotus |
| Species: | M. indicus |
| Binomial name | |
| Melilotus indicus (L.) All. |
|
| Varieties | |
|
M. indicus var. indicus |
|
Melilotus indicus, sometimes incorrectly written Melilotus indica, is a yellow-flowered herb native to northern Africa, Europe and Asia, but naturalized throughout the rest of the world.
Common names in English include sweet clover (or sweet-clover), sour clover (sour-clover, sourclover), Indian sweet-clover, annual yellow sweetclover, small-flowered sweet clover, small-flowered melilot and small melilot. In Australia and New Zealand, where it is naturalised, it is sometimes called King Island melilot.[1][2]
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It is an annual or biennial herb from 10 to 50 centimetres in height (rarely to one metre), with yellow flowers.[3]
It was first published as Trifolium indica by Carl Linnaeus in his 1753 Species plantarum. It was transferred into Melilotus by Carlo Allioni in 1785.[4] Common name Pili Senji
It has a wide native distribution, ranging from Macaronesia and northern Africa, through Europe, and into temperate and tropical Asia. It is naturalised throughout most of the rest of the world, including the United Kingdom, the United States, South America, Australia and New Zealand.[1]
It is used as a source of nectar for bees, as forage, and as a soil improver. It is also used in folk medicine. It is poisonous to some mammals, and is a potential seed crop contaminant.[1]