Medicago murex Willd.
A hairless annual. Stems decumbent or ascending, 20 to 60 cm long. Leaves trifoliate; leaflets 5 to 17 mm long, obovate, wedge-shaped to obcordate, toothed at the apex. Stipules deeply toothed. Flowers yellow, 4 to 5 mm long; solitary or in clusters of up to 3. Peduncles 15 to 25 mm long, with a short awn. Seed pods ellipsoidal or spherical, 6 to 7 mm diameter; spirally and tightly coiled with 5 to 8 turns; a shiny band covers the outer third of the radius. Spines 1 to 2 mm long, stout, conical, slightly curved; spreading radially.
Local: Very rare in Gibraltar. Found in Inglis Way footpath, and also introduced with imported soil in cultivated plots.
Global: Found throughout the Mediterranean region.
Flowers between April, May and June.
Grows on cultivated fields and grassy places, often close to the coast.