Medicago minima (L.) Bartal.

Erect or procumbent, annual herb; stems densely villous, particularly in upper part. Lvs densely hairy on petiole and both surfaces of leaflets; petioles c. 2–10 mm long; leaflets usually narrowly obovate, usually slightly emarginate, sometimes acute or obtuse, mucronate, obtuse to cuneate at base, serrate near apex, uniform in colour, c. 5–10 mm long; terminal petiolule 1–4 mm long; lateral petiolules < 1 mm long; stipules ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, usually shallowly dentate, sometimes entire, cordate at base. Infl. 1–6-flowered; peduncles densely hairy, usually ± = petiole; pedicel usually < calyx tube, sometimes ± = tube. Calyx moderately to densely hairy; calyx teeth narrowly triangular, > tube. Corolla yellow, 3–4 mm long. Pod sparsely to moderately hairy, coiled in 3–5 turns without a hole in the centre, very faintly reticulately veined or ± smooth, with a double row of spines at the margin, 4–6 mm diam. (excluding spines), few-seeded; seeds yellow to brown, 2–3 mm long.

[From: Webb et al. (1988) Flora of New Zealand. Volume 4.]

Flowering: Sep.–Nov.