Can someone identify this species from the pea family? The plant was photographed in Morocco in spring. The location is south of Marrakesh at the foot of the high Atlas, in a dry riverbed.
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1$\begingroup$ From Tangier to Agadir passing by Asni in the atlas, you encounter quite a bit of ecological variation in Morocco. It could help to tell where in Morocco and/or what type of ecosystem, you found this plant in (esp. that we can't see the soil from the pictures)! $\endgroup$– Remi.bApr 16, 2018 at 21:39
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1$\begingroup$ It would be good in general to have close up views of the flowers and fruits especially in many of these cases, rather than several holistic views. $\endgroup$– Bryan HansonApr 17, 2018 at 0:29
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1$\begingroup$ Also, for Fabs/Legumes, it would be helpful to see a pic of a single compound leaf, picked off and put on a neutral background. $\endgroup$– Bryan HansonApr 17, 2018 at 0:36
1 Answer
The plant appears to be Medicago arborea. Common names include moon trefoil, shrub medick, alfalfa arborea, and tree medick. It is a member of the pea family Fabiaceae. The species is characterized by the woody stems, the leaves (three), and compressed, coiled seed pods. See further description in the links below. It is a native of the Mediterranean basin and apparently becoming rare in nature.
http://botanyphoto.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/2015/09/medicago-arborea/