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Project Noah Nature School
Medicago arabica
Three green leaves with striking dark red or purple spots.
Found in a benignly-neglected meadow on a college campus, interspersed with high grass & other small flowering weeds.
I read that this comes from the Mediterranean, but flourishes worldwide now. Does that mean it was planted here purposefully, or has it just serendipitously migrated?
Spotted on Mar 21, 2015
Submitted on Mar 23, 2015
1 Comment
Laura,that is a good question! It was brought on ships by the Portuguese to this part of the world. I was very surprised to find plants from the Mediterranean here.It took me a while to get used to the concept of "introduced"! In most instances it was planted purposefully. Reasons being ,Medicinal,food source,dyes etc.
Seed dispersal is very much a reality. Though across continents seems impossible! Never know though! Nature is mysterious!