Medicago sativa L.
(Lucerne, Medick, Alfalfa)

Interactions where Medicago sativa is the victim or passive partner (and generally loses out from the process)

The following relationships have been collated from the published literature (see 'Interaction References').

Filters:

Affected Part Summary Taxon Vernacular Classification References Darwin Classification of Active Taxon Active Taxon Active Vernacular Active Taxon Uncertain Active State Active Part Active Stage Relationship Relationship Uncertain Relationship Geography Darwin Classification of Passive Taxon Passive Taxon Passive Vernacular Passive Taxon Uncertain Passive State Passive Part Passive Stage Passive Taxon's significance to Active Taxon Indoors etc Season Summary
is foodplant of larva Foreign Sitona obsoletus a weevil Coleoptera: Curculionidae Broad-Nosed Weevils (Entiminae), Morris, M.G., 1997
/Animalia/Arthropoda/Insecta/Coleoptera/Curculionidae/Sitona obsoletus/Sitona obsoletusa weevillarva Foodplant / feeds onForeign /Plantae/Tracheophyta/Magnoliopsida/Fabales/Fabaceae/Medicago sativa/Medicago sativalucerne, medick, alfalfa larva feeds on
is foodplant of Hypera meles a weevil Coleoptera: Curculionidae Host Plants of British Beetles: A List of Recorded Associations, Bullock, J.A., 1992
/Animalia/Arthropoda/Insecta/Coleoptera/Curculionidae/Hypera meles/Hypera melesa weevil Foodplant / feeds on /Plantae/Tracheophyta/Magnoliopsida/Fabales/Fabaceae/Medicago sativa/Medicago sativalucerne, medick, alfalfa feeds on
has sap sucked by UK/Ireland Palomena prasina Green Shieldbug Hemiptera: Pentatomidae Land and Water Bugs of the British Isles, Southwood, T.R.E. & Leston, D., 1959
/Animalia/Arthropoda/Insecta/Hemiptera/Pentatomidae/Palomena prasina/Palomena prasinagreen shieldbug Foodplant / sap suckerUK and/or Eire /Plantae/Tracheophyta/Magnoliopsida/Fabales/Fabaceae/Medicago sativa/Medicago sativalucerne, medick, alfalfa sucks sap of
(live) live may have Acyrthosiphon pisum Pea Aphid Hemiptera: Aphididae Pests, Diseases & Disorders of Garden Plants, Buczacki, S. & Harris, K., 1998
/Animalia/Arthropoda/Insecta/Hemiptera/Aphididae/Acyrthosiphon (Acyrthosiphon) pisum/Acyrthosiphon (Acyrthosiphon) pisumpea aphid Plant / resting place / on /Plantae/Tracheophyta/Magnoliopsida/Fabales/Fabaceae/Medicago sativa/Medicago sativalucerne, medick, alfalfalive (winter)may be found on live
(live) live is parasitised by sporangium UK/IrelandRestricted Peronospora aestivalis a downy mildew Peronosporales: Peronosporaceae Fungi of the South East England, Dennis, R.W.G., 1995
A Checklist of the Downy Mildews (Peronosporaceae) of the British Isles, Preece, T.F., 2002
/Chromista/Oomycota/Peronosporea/Peronosporales/Peronosporaceae/Peronospora aestivalis/Peronospora aestivalisa downy mildewsporangium Foodplant / parasiteUK and/or Eire /Plantae/Tracheophyta/Magnoliopsida/Fabales/Fabaceae/Medicago sativa/Medicago sativalucerne, medick, alfalfaliveSole sporangium parasitises live
(live) live is parasitised by sporangium Peronospora trifoliorum s. lat. a downy mildew Peronosporales: Peronosporaceae Microfungi on Land Plants: An Identification Handbook, Ellis, M.B. & J.P., 1997
/Chromista/Oomycota/Peronosporea/Peronosporales/Peronosporaceae/Peronospora trifoliorum s. lat./Peronospora trifoliorum s. lat.a downy mildewsporangium Foodplant / parasite /Plantae/Tracheophyta/Magnoliopsida/Fabales/Fabaceae/Medicago sativa/Medicago sativalucerne, medick, alfalfalive sporangium parasitises live
(live) live plant may be infected and damaged by buried sclerotium Sclerotinia trifoliorum a discomycete Helotiales: Sclerotiniaceae Sclerotinia trifoliorum, Williams, M.A.J. & Spooner, B.M., 1991
/Fungi/Ascomycota/Leotiomycetes/Helotiales/Sclerotiniaceae/Sclerotinia trifoliorum/Sclerotinia trifolioruma discomyceteburiedsclerotium Foodplant / pathogen /Plantae/Tracheophyta/Magnoliopsida/Fabales/Fabaceae/Medicago sativa/Medicago sativalucerne, medick, alfalfaliveplant buried sclerotium infects and damages live plant
(live) live is parasitised by telium Minor Uromyces pisi-sativi Pea Rust Pucciniales: Pucciniaceae Microfungi on Land Plants: An Identification Handbook, Ellis, M.B. & J.P., 1997
/Fungi/Basidiomycota/Pucciniomycetes/Pucciniales/Pucciniaceae/Uromyces pisi-sativi/Uromyces pisi-sativipea rusttelium Foodplant / parasite /Plantae/Tracheophyta/Magnoliopsida/Fabales/Fabaceae/Medicago sativa/Medicago sativalucerne, medick, alfalfaliveMinor telium parasitises live
bud bud may contain larva Foreign Protapion filirostre a seed weevil Coleoptera: Apionidae Orthocerous Weevils, Morris, M.G., 1990
/Animalia/Arthropoda/Insecta/Coleoptera/Apionidae/Protapion filirostre/Protapion filirostrea seed weevillarva Foodplant / internal feederForeign /Plantae/Tracheophyta/Magnoliopsida/Fabales/Fabaceae/Medicago sativa/Medicago sativalucerne, medick, alfalfabud larva feeds within bud
bud (live, conspicously warted) live, conspicously warted bud is galled by UK/Ireland Physoderma alfalfae Crown Wart Disease Of Lucerne - causative organism Blastocladiales: Physodermataceae Microfungi on Land Plants: An Identification Handbook, Ellis, M.B. & J.P., 1997
British Plant Galls - Identification of galls on plants and fungi, Redfern, M. & Shirley, P., 2002
/Fungi/Chytridiomycota/Chytridiomycetes/Blastocladiales/Physodermataceae/Physoderma alfalfae/Physoderma alfalfaecrown wart disease of lucerne (causative organism) Foodplant / gallUK and/or Eire /Plantae/Tracheophyta/Magnoliopsida/Fabales/Fabaceae/Medicago sativa/Medicago sativalucerne, medick, alfalfalive, conspicously wartedbud causes gall of live, conspicously warted bud
leaf leaf is mined by larva Restricted Agromyza frontella a leaf-mining fly Diptera: Agromyzidae Diptera: Agromyzidae, Spencer, K.A., 1972
/Animalia/Arthropoda/Insecta/Diptera/Agromyzidae/Agromyza frontella/Agromyza frontellaa leaf-mining flylarva Foodplant / miner /Plantae/Tracheophyta/Magnoliopsida/Fabales/Fabaceae/Medicago sativa/Medicago sativalucerne, medick, alfalfaleafSole larva mines leaf
leaf (live, conspicously warted, rudimentary) live, conspicously warted, rudimentary leaf is galled by resting sporangium UK/Ireland Physoderma alfalfae Crown Wart Disease Of Lucerne - causative organism Blastocladiales: Physodermataceae Microfungi on Land Plants: An Identification Handbook, Ellis, M.B. & J.P., 1997
British Plant Galls - Identification of galls on plants and fungi, Redfern, M. & Shirley, P., 2002
/Fungi/Chytridiomycota/Chytridiomycetes/Blastocladiales/Physodermataceae/Physoderma alfalfae/Physoderma alfalfaecrown wart disease of lucerne (causative organism)resting sporangium Foodplant / gallUK and/or Eire /Plantae/Tracheophyta/Magnoliopsida/Fabales/Fabaceae/Medicago sativa/Medicago sativalucerne, medick, alfalfalive, conspicously warted, rudimentaryleaf resting sporangium causes gall of live, conspicously warted, rudimentary leaf
leaf (live) live leaf is mined by larva Major Liriomyza congesta a leaf-mining fly Diptera: Agromyzidae Diptera: Agromyzidae, Spencer, K.A., 1972
/Animalia/Arthropoda/Insecta/Diptera/Agromyzidae/Liriomyza congesta/Liriomyza congestaa leaf-mining flylarva Foodplant / miner /Plantae/Tracheophyta/Magnoliopsida/Fabales/Fabaceae/Medicago sativa/Medicago sativalucerne, medick, alfalfaliveleafMajor larva mines live leaf
leaf (live) live leaf is spotted by immersed pycnidium of Phyllosticta coelomycetous anamorph UK/Ireland Phyllosticta medicaginis a coelomycete Botryosphaeriales: Phyllostictaceae Fungi of the South East England, Dennis, R.W.G., 1995
British Stem- and Leaf- Fungi: Coelomycetes Vol. I … Sphaeropsidales with hyaline conidia, Grove, W.B., 1935
/Fungi/Ascomycota/Dothideomycetes/Botryosphaeriales/Phyllostictaceae/Phyllosticta medicaginis/Phyllosticta medicaginisa coelomyceteimmersedpycnidiumPhyllosticta coelomycetous anamorph Foodplant / spot causerUK and/or Eire /Plantae/Tracheophyta/Magnoliopsida/Fabales/Fabaceae/Medicago sativa/Medicago sativalucerne, medick, alfalfaliveleaf immersed pycnidium of Phyllosticta coelomycetous anamorph causes spots on live leaf
leaf (live) live leaf is spotted by mainly hypophyllous, punctiform to sub-effuse, greyish white caespituli of Ramularia hyphomycetous anamorph ForeignMajor Ramularia medicaginis (A Leaf-spot Fungus) Capnodiales: Mycosphaerellaceae Monograph of Cercosporella, Ramularia and Allied Genera - Vol II, Braun, U., 1998
/Fungi/Ascomycota/Dothideomycetes/Capnodiales/Mycosphaerellaceae/Ramularia medicaginis/Ramularia medicaginis(a leaf-spot fungus)mainly hypophyllous, punctiform to sub-effuse, greyish whitecaespituliRamularia hyphomycetous anamorph Foodplant / spot causerForeign /Plantae/Tracheophyta/Magnoliopsida/Fabales/Fabaceae/Medicago sativa/Medicago sativalucerne, medick, alfalfaliveleafMajor mainly hypophyllous, punctiform to sub-effuse, greyish white caespituli of Ramularia hyphomycetous anamorph causes spots on live leaf
leaf (live) live leaf is spotted by pycnidium of Stagonospora coelomycetous anamorph Stagonospora meliloti a coelomycete Pleosporales: Phaeosphaeriaceae Stagonospora meliloti, Punithalingam, E., 1990
/Fungi/Ascomycota/Dothideomycetes/Pleosporales/Phaeosphaeriaceae/Stagonospora meliloti/Stagonospora melilotia coelomycetepycnidiumStagonospora coelomycetous anamorph Foodplant / spot causer /Plantae/Tracheophyta/Magnoliopsida/Fabales/Fabaceae/Medicago sativa/Medicago sativalucerne, medick, alfalfaliveleaf pycnidium of Stagonospora coelomycetous anamorph causes spots on live leaf
leaf (live) live leaf is spotted by erumpent apothecium Leptotrochila medicaginis a discomycete Helotiales: Dermateaceae Microfungi on Land Plants: An Identification Handbook, Ellis, M.B. & J.P., 1997
/Fungi/Ascomycota/Leotiomycetes/Helotiales/Dermateaceae/Leptotrochila medicaginis/Leptotrochila medicaginisa discomyceteerumpentapothecium Foodplant / spot causer /Plantae/Tracheophyta/Magnoliopsida/Fabales/Fabaceae/Medicago sativa/Medicago sativalucerne, medick, alfalfaliveleaf erumpent apothecium causes spots on live leaf
leaf (live) live leaf is spotted by conidioma of Sporonema coelomycetous anamorph Leptotrochila medicaginis a discomycete Helotiales: Dermateaceae Microfungi on Land Plants: An Identification Handbook, Ellis, M.B. & J.P., 1997
/Fungi/Ascomycota/Leotiomycetes/Helotiales/Dermateaceae/Leptotrochila medicaginis/Leptotrochila medicaginisa discomyceteconidiomaSporonema coelomycetous anamorph Foodplant / spot causer /Plantae/Tracheophyta/Magnoliopsida/Fabales/Fabaceae/Medicago sativa/Medicago sativalucerne, medick, alfalfaliveleaf conidioma of Sporonema coelomycetous anamorph causes spots on live leaf
leaf (live) live leaf is spotted by apothecium Pseudopeziza medicaginis a discomycete Helotiales: Dermateaceae Microfungi on Land Plants: An Identification Handbook, Ellis, M.B. & J.P., 1997
/Fungi/Ascomycota/Leotiomycetes/Helotiales/Dermateaceae/Pseudopeziza medicaginis/Pseudopeziza medicaginisa discomyceteapothecium Foodplant / spot causer /Plantae/Tracheophyta/Magnoliopsida/Fabales/Fabaceae/Medicago sativa/Medicago sativalucerne, medick, alfalfaliveleaf (6-12)apothecium causes spots on live leaf
leaf (live) live leaf is parasitised by mostly hypophyllous uredium Minor Uromyces pisi-sativi Pea Rust Pucciniales: Pucciniaceae Microfungi on Land Plants: An Identification Handbook, Ellis, M.B. & J.P., 1997
/Fungi/Basidiomycota/Pucciniomycetes/Pucciniales/Pucciniaceae/Uromyces pisi-sativi/Uromyces pisi-sativipea rustmostly hypophyllousuredium Foodplant / parasite /Plantae/Tracheophyta/Magnoliopsida/Fabales/Fabaceae/Medicago sativa/Medicago sativalucerne, medick, alfalfaliveleafMinor mostly hypophyllous uredium parasitises live leaf
root root is foodplant of larva Major Sitona hispidulus Clover-root Weevil Coleoptera: Curculionidae Broad-Nosed Weevils (Entiminae), Morris, M.G., 1997
/Animalia/Arthropoda/Insecta/Coleoptera/Curculionidae/Sitona hispidulus/Sitona hispidulusclover-root weevillarva Foodplant / feeds on /Plantae/Tracheophyta/Magnoliopsida/Fabales/Fabaceae/Medicago sativa/Medicago sativalucerne, medick, alfalfarootMajor larva feeds on root
rootstock rootstock is foodplant of basally immersed pseudothecium Byssothecium circinans an ascomycete Pleosporales: Massarinaceae Microfungi on Land Plants: An Identification Handbook, Ellis, M.B. & J.P., 1997
/Fungi/Ascomycota/Dothideomycetes/Pleosporales/Massarinaceae/Byssothecium circinans/Byssothecium circinansan ascomycetebasally immersedpseudothecium Foodplant / feeds on /Plantae/Tracheophyta/Magnoliopsida/Fabales/Fabaceae/Medicago sativa/Medicago sativalucerne, medick, alfalfarootstock basally immersed pseudothecium feeds on rootstock
stem stem is mined by larva Questionable Ophiomyia curvipalpis a leaf-mining fly Diptera: Agromyzidae Diptera: Agromyzidae, Spencer, K.A., 1972
/Animalia/Arthropoda/Insecta/Diptera/Agromyzidae/Ophiomyia curvipalpis/Ophiomyia curvipalpisa leaf-mining flylarva Foodplant / miner /Plantae/Tracheophyta/Magnoliopsida/Fabales/Fabaceae/Medicago sativa/Medicago sativalucerne, medick, alfalfa?stem larva mines stem
stem stem may house puparium Questionable Ophiomyia curvipalpis a leaf-mining fly Diptera: Agromyzidae Diptera: Agromyzidae, Spencer, K.A., 1972
/Animalia/Arthropoda/Insecta/Diptera/Agromyzidae/Ophiomyia curvipalpis/Ophiomyia curvipalpisa leaf-mining flypuparium Plant / resting place / within /Plantae/Tracheophyta/Magnoliopsida/Fabales/Fabaceae/Medicago sativa/Medicago sativalucerne, medick, alfalfa?stem puparium may be found in stem
stem (live, blackened) live, blackened stem may be infected and damaged by pycnidium of Phoma coelomycetous anamorph UK/Ireland Phoma medicaginis var medicaginis Pleosporales Fungi of the South East England, Dennis, R.W.G., 1995
Microfungi on Land Plants: An Identification Handbook, Ellis, M.B. & J.P., 1997
/Fungi/Ascomycota/Dothideomycetes/Pleosporales/Phoma medicaginis var. medicaginis/Phoma medicaginis var. medicaginispycnidiumPhoma coelomycetous anamorph Foodplant / pathogenUK and/or Eire /Plantae/Tracheophyta/Magnoliopsida/Fabales/Fabaceae/Medicago sativa/Medicago sativalucerne, medick, alfalfalive, blackenedstem pycnidium of Phoma coelomycetous anamorph infects and damages live, blackened stem
stem (live, conspicously warted) live, conspicously warted stem is galled by UK/Ireland Physoderma alfalfae Crown Wart Disease Of Lucerne - causative organism Blastocladiales: Physodermataceae Microfungi on Land Plants: An Identification Handbook, Ellis, M.B. & J.P., 1997
British Plant Galls - Identification of galls on plants and fungi, Redfern, M. & Shirley, P., 2002
/Fungi/Chytridiomycota/Chytridiomycetes/Blastocladiales/Physodermataceae/Physoderma alfalfae/Physoderma alfalfaecrown wart disease of lucerne (causative organism) Foodplant / gallUK and/or Eire /Plantae/Tracheophyta/Magnoliopsida/Fabales/Fabaceae/Medicago sativa/Medicago sativalucerne, medick, alfalfalive, conspicously wartedstem causes gall of live, conspicously warted stem
stem (live) live stem is foodplant of pycnidium of Ascochyta coelomycetous anamorph UK/Ireland Ascochyta medicaginicola "Black Stem Disease" Of Lucerne - causative organism Pleosporales British Parasitic Fungi, Moore, W.C., 1959
/Fungi/Ascomycota/Dothideomycetes/Pleosporales/Ascochyta medicaginicola/Ascochyta medicaginicola"black stem disease" of lucerne (causative organism)pycnidiumAscochyta coelomycetous anamorph Foodplant / feeds onUK and/or Eire /Plantae/Tracheophyta/Magnoliopsida/Fabales/Fabaceae/Medicago sativa/Medicago sativalucerne, medick, alfalfalivestem pycnidium of Ascochyta coelomycetous anamorph feeds on live stem
stem (live) live stem is spotted by acervulus of Colletotrichum coelomycetous anamorph UK/Ireland Colletotrichum trifolii Lucerna Anthracnose - causative organism Glomerellaceae Microfungi on Land Plants: An Identification Handbook, Ellis, M.B. & J.P., 1997
British Parasitic Fungi, Moore, W.C., 1959
/Fungi/Ascomycota/Sordariomycetes/Glomerellaceae/Colletotrichum trifolii/Colletotrichum trifoliilucerna anthracnose (causative organism)acervulusColletotrichum coelomycetous anamorph Foodplant / spot causerUK and/or Eire /Plantae/Tracheophyta/Magnoliopsida/Fabales/Fabaceae/Medicago sativa/Medicago sativalucerne, medick, alfalfalivestem acervulus of Colletotrichum coelomycetous anamorph causes spots on live stem
stipule (live, conspicously warted) live, conspicously warted stipule is galled by UK/Ireland Physoderma alfalfae Crown Wart Disease Of Lucerne - causative organism Blastocladiales: Physodermataceae Microfungi on Land Plants: An Identification Handbook, Ellis, M.B. & J.P., 1997
British Plant Galls - Identification of galls on plants and fungi, Redfern, M. & Shirley, P., 2002
/Fungi/Chytridiomycota/Chytridiomycetes/Blastocladiales/Physodermataceae/Physoderma alfalfae/Physoderma alfalfaecrown wart disease of lucerne (causative organism) Foodplant / gallUK and/or Eire /Plantae/Tracheophyta/Magnoliopsida/Fabales/Fabaceae/Medicago sativa/Medicago sativalucerne, medick, alfalfalive, conspicously wartedstipule causes gall of live, conspicously warted stipule

Author & YearTitleSource
Braun, U., 1998Monograph of Cercosporella, Ramularia and Allied Genera - Vol IIPhytopathogenic Hyphomycetes, 2, 493pp, IHW-Verlag
Buczacki, S. & Harris, K., 1998Pests, Diseases & Disorders of Garden PlantsCollins Photoguide, 2nd edition edition, Collins
Bullock, J.A., 1992Host Plants of British Beetles: A List of Recorded Associations11a, 24pp, Amateur Entomologists’ Society
Dennis, R.W.G., 1995Fungi of the South East England383pp, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Ellis, M.B. & J.P., 1997Microfungi on Land Plants: An Identification Handbook2nd (New Enlarged) edition, 868pp, The Richmond Publishing Co. Ltd
Grove, W.B., 1935British Stem- and Leaf- Fungi: Coelomycetes Vol. I … Sphaeropsidales with hyaline conidiaVol I, 488pp, Cambridge University Press
Moore, W.C., 1959British Parasitic Fungi430pp, Cambridge University Press
Morris, M.G., 1990Orthocerous WeevilsHandbooks for the Identification of British Insects, Vol 5 Part 16, 108pp, The Royal Entomological Society of London
Morris, M.G., 1997Broad-Nosed Weevils (Entiminae)Handbooks for the Identification of British Insects, Vol 5, Part 17a, 106pp, The Royal Entomological Society of London
Preece, T.F., 2002A Checklist of the Downy Mildews (Peronosporaceae) of the British Isles33pp, British Mycological Society
Punithalingam, E., 1990Stagonospora melilotiI.M.I. Descriptions of Pathogenic Fungi and Bacteria CMI Descriptions of Pathenogenic Fungi and Bacteria Sheet 1020.
Redfern, M. & Shirley, P., 2002British Plant Galls - Identification of galls on plants and fungiAIDGAP Keys, 325pp, Field Studies Council
Southwood, T.R.E. & Leston, D., 1959Land and Water Bugs of the British IslesWayside & Woodland Series, 1959 edition, 436pp, Frederick Warne & Co. Ltd.
Spencer, K.A., 1972Diptera: AgromyzidaeHandbooks for the Identification of British Insects , Vol X. Part 5(g), 136pp, The Royal Entomological Society of London
Williams, M.A.J. & Spooner, B.M., 1991Sclerotinia trifoliorumI.M.I. Descriptions of Pathogenic Fungi and Bacteria CMI Descriptions of Pathenogenic Fungi and Bacteria Sheet 1084.

Medicago sativa (Lucerne, Medick, Alfalfa) may also be included in 'fed on by' relations listed under the following higher taxa:

Subtaxon Rank Featured
subtaxa
No of
interactions
No of
references
Subspecies 4 trophisms
Subspecies 4 trophisms
Taxonomic hierarchy:
SpeciesMedicago sativa (Lucerne, Medick, Alfalfa)
GenusMedicago (medicks)
SubfamilyFABOIDEAE (vetches, peas and beans)
FamilyFABACEAE (vetches, peas, beans, accacias, wattles and sennas)
OrderFABALES (vetches, peas, beans and milkworts)
SubclassEU-DICOTS (dicotyledonous flowering plants)
ClassMAGNOLIOPSIDA (flowering plants)
PhylumTRACHEOPHYTA (vascular plants)
KingdomPLANTAE (plants)
DomainEukaryota (eukaryotes)
LifeBIOTA (living things)
NBNNBN (data.nbn.org.uk) has a distribution map for Medicago sativa (Lucerne, Medick, Alfalfa)

Medicago sativa (Lucerne, Medick, Alfalfa) may be included in identification literature listed under the following higher taxa:

Literature listed under the following higher taxa may be relevant to Medicago sativa (Lucerne, Medick, Alfalfa):

BioImagesBioImages (www.bioimages.org.uk) has 1 images of Medicago sativa (Lucerne, Medick, Alfalfa)
Creative Commons License
This website is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International Licence.

Unless otherwise expressly stated, all original material on the BioInfo website by Malcolm Storey is licensed under the above Creative Commons Licence.

BioInfo - Wildlife Information (UK)